


The Trapped Ones

by ToonArtist403



Series: Breaking The Cycle AU [2]
Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: AND SIX, And second little nightmares fic, Angst, F/M, Five, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Multi, Other, Second Prologue Story, Seven Adores the nomes, and has huge hunger problems of course, everyone is afraid of the lady, ferryman plays a big part in this au, part 2 before the main story, six has trauma from pale city, some references to the thin man, this time talking about seven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-25 06:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 56,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30084696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToonArtist403/pseuds/ToonArtist403
Summary: Mono isn’t the only one to have suffer greatly from the cycle, the eyes had claimed nearly everyone in that fateful event, only a few remain, let us see how their stories played out, starting with the one in yellow, the seventh child, and the shadow eater herself, while someone is looking into a ancient legend in order to find a solution to stop the cycle from going any further.
Relationships: Mono & Shadow Six & Six (Little Nightmares), Mono & Six (Little Nightmares), Mono/The Runaway Kid/Six (Little Nightmares), The Flashlight Girl/The Girl in the Yellow Raincoat/Six (Little Nightmares), The Girl In The Yellow Raincoat & The Pretender (Little Nightmares), The Lady/The Runaway Kid (Little Nightmares)
Series: Breaking The Cycle AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2201898
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	1. Escaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we start our next tale with one of the other survivors stuck in this horrid cycle, forever doomed to always fall, but let's see where it all started, with old broadcasts playing around and false hope in the speakers, Nora travels out of the pale city in search of a new safe heaven, unaware that she had just played into fate's own two hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uH,,,,yeah,,, part 1 ended pretty much like canon sadly, but at least we know how it went in my au! nOW,,,, LET'S UH,,, CHECK ON THE OTHERS, starting with the protag from VERY little nightmares, enjoy

“We just got confirmation that Boston, Nevada, Washington, and other major parts of the world and states that a huge virus and pandemic is running amok, people eating eachother, crashing into tv’s others being like zombies, and men who turned to basic primal instinct and lived in the swamp, we advise you all to stay indoors and do not let anyone in until the pandemic has subsided, we are all trying our best to fix this situation, we the US government are going to do everything in our power to stop this crisis, reports on our intel show that the virus originated from a cargo ship that transfer food and guests to a place called the maw, if anyone is still out there, stay safe, we are coming for you, god bless you all. God bless America. This message will repeat, we have reports—“

the TV gets turned off as the sounds of heavy rainfall and such was heard on the windows, a lone girl sat there watching the TV, wearing a yellow raincoat as it hidden her hair, the lone survivor frowned slightly, no one was coming. It’s been a few months since the outbreak started, or a year, time was hard to make in this place, the outbreak where gigantic masses of flesh made out of eyes seemly appeared out of nowhere and put the whole world into chaos, that message that was playing was on repeat, and it was sent only 10 months ago, so yeah, it’s been a year by now, at least for her then. It was just a simple visit to the city of tomorrow, but no, she and her family were stuck here, they would both taken by those... things, she was the only one left, The only survivor really.

she glanced outside, a hint of blue eyes staring at the window as the various hordes of viewers wandered about, very rarely seeing those lost souls things wandering about too, but they were there, those things always found some way of making themselves known to strike fear into people, odd noises where you least expect it, strange feelings and a sense of dread everywhere you go where they are around, the girl hated it, frowning slightly as she looks down at her watch, it was almost time to hit the sack before bed, tomorrow was a big day for her, the day where she’ll escape this horrible place... the pale city, it rarely became day here, when it did it was perfect, the only time where the monsters and creatures wouldn't come out, staying deep underground, or anywhere dark enough, it was when her and other survivors could finally see what their own world has become, only a few more hours and her plan will go into play... if there weren't any surprises anyway waiting for her.  
  
she hums lightly, rubbing her forehead as she gets up, passing by a few makeshift graves, since she couldn't even bury her own parents, she rubs her own forehead, frowning slightly as she passes by a few broken pictures, never really bothered to fix them, not finding the right tools and such to keep this place going, she spent most of it on making her grand escape, which she hopes will work, if not then well, she's planning on going out fighting at the very least, huffing softly as she rubs her eyes, staring at her own bedroom, it was once clean and pretty, now old and worn down, frowning slightly as she huffs softly, before going on over to her bed, resting down and staring at the ceiling before she slowly fell asleep, closing her eyes.  
  
\---  
  
"attention, attention citizens of Bright city, a massive curfew is in effect after the outbreak of a unknown virus infecting several human beings, we advise you all to stay in your homes, keep your doors and windows lock, and to keep your families safe, the us government is working to fix this problem, if there is anyone out there, please come to the maw, the only safe place left in the world, the outbreak has not reached there yet, if anyone is listening, we are waiting for you, do not give up hope, humanity will live on." the broadcast spoke throughout the old speakers as The girl walks through the streets in the light of day, feeling the sunshine on her as she smiled softly, frowning a bit at the speaker, after the huge bombing the Government did to 'save' them all from this outbreak, it only made it worst, whatever started the outbreak seemly survived, and waited long enough to keep spreading, she did'int know if other parts of the world were this bad, but not like she cared, she was going to be done with this place anyway.  
  
she steps over dead bodies of viewers and lost souls alike, huffing softly as she cringed a bit, walking around further as she hums lightly, staring at the other bodies, if you did'int become a 'guest' or a viewer or a lost soul or a swampfolk even after dying to the local freaks, you get turned into this, mindless zombie thing, some survivors and people call them walkers or something, seemed to fit them, all they ever do is just wander and walk... never really run... makes sense since when they become walkers, their bodies normally cant function that well so they cant run or anything, they're the most easiest to avoid and outsmart... and the most dangerous if your cocky or dumb in that case. the girl was neither of those things, she was a survivor, she wasn't strong, or little or big or weak, or tough, she was alive. And that was all there was to it.  
  
The girl frowns slightly at one of the walkers, a female who was cut in half, near a bike as it groaned weakly, reaching out with it's arms as it was barely even alive at this point, starving and such as it growled, with the girl watching as she frowns a bit, before simply walking off, not wanting to waste any more time, the more time she wastes, the less sunlight there is, day was almost an miracle in the pale city, where other places like the maw and desolate barrens and such day comes by as easily as night, but in this city? rarely the sun never shines here, the city always shrouded in shadows and clouds and darkness all the time, in days like this, she's glad that there's a light in the darkness.  
  
she curses silently as she hides underneath a booth, glancing upwards as she sees a group of people walking around, carrying odd weapons and such, you see there were other survivors than just children, but there were rarely any actual adult survivor, but if there were, they were rarely friendly, mostly raiders or bandits, she did not want to deal with them today, but she also did'int want to keep waiting here forever, grumbling before she froze at some of them shouting out, before gunfire insures, after a while it gets quiet, she slowly looks over, and blinks slightly, freezing upon seeing an tall figure in odd robes seemly draining the group of people's souls, leaving them nothing more than husks, the reaper growled slightly, looking around before spotting the girl, or well it thought it spotted someone, grumbling and clicking before it huffs, slowly walking off before the girl went on her way, much more quickly now.  
  
The only other monster to not be affected by the day that much besides the walkers and guests, is the reaper, no-one knows much about it, only that it's a soulless being that travels around the globe searching for a perfect soul to reclaim it's original body, she only encountered it once before and it was when it was seemly on a devouring rampage, the reason why there were so few guests now here was because of the fact that that something angered the reaper badly, something that caused only the viewers and lost souls and only a few walkers to remain and such, she grunts softly as she keeps walking, eventually making her way up to a more quieter part of the city.  
  
\---  
  
She still had a lot of time left, even though traversing through this part of the city is more dangerous, it's a lot more faster than the original path she was going to take, huffing softly as she keeps walking, huffing softly as she keeps looking around more and more, walking and making sure not to make that much noise, not wanting to be the next on anyone's menu, huffing quietly as she keeps walking, gripping a pipe like it was a weapon as she looks around, slowly taking careful steps as she eventually makes it through the risky parts, smiling in relief, now all that was left for her to do was to keep walking until she found where she placed her escape away from this city, further and further walking away as she looks around, staring at the birds and such that were flying about.  
  
Animals were very rare to see, the only ones she saw were rats and birds, never anything else, she thought she saw a dog before, but that was the lurker, which was odd for her cause that thing usually existed deep within the desolate barrens, acting as a sort of "Alpha Dog" to the other monsters there or something, she rubs her forehead slightly as she keeps walking, huffing softly before she freezes a bit, thinking she heard footsteps, looking around as she frowns, before quickening her pace, grumbling softly... of course the moment she thinks everything is gonna be easy this happens, huffing softly as she grips onto her pipe, walking faster now as she looks around for anything that might be following her around  
  
She huffs quietly as she walks, making quiet steps as she looks around further, before twitching as she hears something, looking around as she grips onto her pipe, looking around before she yelps as something big and hulking bursts out of the shops, it was a guest, apparently one of them did survive, it was groaning, looking around as it's bulging chest pulsed and such, the eyes wide and frozen as it looks around before spotting the girl, it's stomach grumbling as it started to move towards her, before something even larger came out from behind, mauling and tearing apart the guest as the girl did'int stay long to find out, glancing back she could tell it was the lurker, judging by the huge appearance and the way it was eating, she kept on running more and more, throwing her pipe away as she hears the lurker's distorted roars, but not chasing after her, must be too busy in feasting upon the guest, good. Less danger for her to worry about as she keeps running, almost losing her breath for a moment, before she pushed onward, glancing back as she did'int see any signs of the growing lurker, perhaps that was a good thing...  
  
She finally made it to where her escape was, an huge hot-air balloon, grinning slightly before the roar of the lurker erupted, she glanced around and froze upon seeing it with it's mouth and such soaked in the guest's blood, growling as it drops the half eaten corpse of the guest down, steaming slightly before the girl wasted no time in getting to the balloon, and instantly turning it on as the lurker starts to charge in, nearly getting her before missing as the balloon takes off, the lurker growling and roaring out in rage, steaming as it watched her fly off, with the girl sighing in relief, rubbing her forehead slightly as she backs up, and sits down, smiling slightly as she watches as the balloon carried her away from the pale city, finally. She's out of that place, anywhere else would be better than the city now, she just hopes that it wont be inhabited by the same creatures that wander around the city..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if it's a little short or ended like that- my- brain is like starting to break JHFJJHKDH- but uh,,, yeah- here it is- might take a break after since like,,,, yeah- im tired


	2. The Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> by escaping the pale city, Nora crashed her balloon to a odd place predating the maw, where even in isolated places like the nest, danger is lurking around every corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since very little nightmares is very short apparently in terms of run-time I’ll be trying my best to make it as long as possible, while adding some other twists that happen in the au, I always believed that six had a hunger problem long before the thin man took her, how she satisfied it for the first time to where she wouldn’t even get hungry once during the whole journey with mono shall be explained here... so uh,,, yeah

Nora Groaned weakly, rubbing her forehead as she staggers up, blinking tiredly as she looks around, confused as she coughs a bit, grumbling softly "jesus....what even happened...?" she says quietly to herslef, the last thing she remembered was flying her balloon and getting caught into a storm... she perks up as she glanced upwards, it was still daylight out thankfully, the other blinking in surprise as her balloon was.. partly intact, she glanced down, seeing odd little white creatures with pointy hats roaming about, three of them looking right at her as she blinks, glancing to her balloon and pushing the lever, yelping as the balloon's foundation crashed fully onto the ground, the impact and noise scaring the odd creatures as they scurry off, with Nora staggering out of the balloon as she rubs her forehead, looking around as she frowned a bit "what is this place...?" she says quietly to herself, before she started exploring the area, mainly to get her bearings.  
  
The girl had to balance herself as she walked onto boards, nearly falling down one, before getting the hang of it, just barely dodging a large tube that almost flatten her as she gulps slightly, rubbing her forehead "somehow.... i can tell that this is gonna be a lot worst than the city..." she says, before going on over to where the tube fell from and climbed up the makeshift ladder, getting to the top as she noticed two boards blocking a hole just about her size, going on over and tearing the two boards off as she crawled through the hole, going out of the hole and arriving on top of a bookshelf, she glanced over and perked up, seeing another person ahead of her, it was a child! maybe a year younger or so then her, and small! wearing white like clothing and looking a bit dirty "...hey there!" nora called out, smiling slightly "im nora! what's your-" she blinks as the child quickly turned around and ran off, the other blinking rapidly "....wow- ,,,,rude."  
  
she muttered slightly to herself, before blinking "...might as well see where she's going...." the other says, before climbing on down the cage and walking onto another board like bridge, noticing that the room she was in had cages... a LOT of cages, some of them opened, while others are closed shut, she looks around as she blinks, frowning a bit as she walks around, sliding down a small pole to get further deeper to the area, looking around once more as she rubs her arms a bit "that's a lot of cages... for a.. l...lot of people..." she says quietly to herself, looking around further as she finds herself in another room, glancing over to see a few more cages, along with one more as she notices a kid in it, one wearing red like clothing as she perks up, getting down to go over to the cage "h-hey? you okay?" she asks, with the other freezing up as they stared, shivering slightly as Nora blinks, trying to look friendly as she calmly smiled "hey there stranger, i won't hurt ya..." she says, as she started to pick the lock, before she grunts, kicking the lock off with her boot, she would of found a key sooner but, yeah no she wasnt about that kind of deal, though before she did that she did opened up the door in front of her with a odd lever, before she went back to the cage, and kicked the lock open, the cage's door opening slightly as the kid in there perked up in surprise  
  
"there you g-" she yelps as the kid rushed past her, running off as she blinks, frowning slightly as she crosses her arms "...did'int even say thank you.... wow..." she says, before huffing and going after the kid, looking around before she huffs, seeing two doors, blinking slightly "huh... where did they go...?" she says to herself, before she started climbing up a cabinet, looking around as she notices the kid trying to push a door open, blinking as she was about to get over there, before accidentally pushed a vase to the ground "OH SH-" she covers her mouth when the door to her right opened, slightly glancing over to see a tall humanoid like being stuck in a chair, with long arms and long legs, wearing red goggles, a mask and odd clothing, Nora glanced over, seeing the kid was hiding as she looks back, seeing the being seemly wheeled itself back to the room behind it, as Nora sighs in relief, before climbing on down, glancing over and seeing the kid was having trouble opening the door, to which she helped them, and saw them running on off further, frowning "...your WELCOME?!" she called out, frowning a bit as she crosses her arms, before sighing and moving forward.  
  
\---

This entire house was a maze in and of itself, frowning slightly as she leaned onto the wall for a moment, puzzle after puzzle, and following those weird creatures sure didint make her feel any better, huffing softly as she looked around the place, having lost that odd creature which apparently called itself the craftsman, if it’s wheels didn’t get you, than the long arms would, having to avoid it’s grasp and hide from it was a bit difficult but she managed perfectly. She was able to outrun it by outsmarting jt by making it stop at several points in the room it was chasing her at, and for now she has a moment of peace after getting somewhere in a different room to where that thing wouldn’t get her.

The fact that there were odd eyes that seemly turned you into stone made it a bit more challenging to get through certain parts of the house, having to improvise and find the other lights or something to cancel out the other lights, almost getting caught by those eyes too, the other looking around as she thought back to another odd event she endured in this house, which was finding literal hides of what seemed like human skin, after watching the odd craftsman watering something and following it to a odd area with a lot of salt around it, she saw shelves and such having what seemed like human skin on it.

Needless to say she was understandably grossed out by that, not knowing if it was either dried up laundry or actual skin, having to cover her nose whenever she passed by them, her theory was later proven more correct when she actually did came across shelves of human skin, covering her mouth slightly as she shivered a bit, and now here she was. Trying to figure out where to go now after that scene, she couldn’t stay in this house that was for damn sure, huffing softly as she rubs her forehead, looking around the place after stopping in another odd secret room by following those white creatures, she looks up, seeing a lot of paper crafts about those creatures as she paled slightly “...jesus.... what the heck happened here..?” She says quietly, looking around as she frowns a bit, thinking.

If trying to figure out how to climb into another room using carts wasnt the hardest thing she did, it would have to be this one of trying to go through the underground of the room with the skins and leather, Nora huffs quietly, shaking her head before getting out of the room, frowning as she rubs her arm. Climbing through vents and such as she gets out of the room, before yelping as she falls right into a box, falling down as she grunts, trying to open it before freezing up upon hearing the sounds of wheels, gulping slightly as the box was dragged away by the craftsman, the other trying to stay as quiet as she can, shivering slightly as she thought back to another time when something similar like this happened.

–––

she was running from the lurker for this one, which was her first actual encounter after discovering something in the form of a small child like creature that seemed to really tick off the lurker when she tried holding the little critter, running as fast as she can as she passes through corner after corner, making her way out of the abandoned caves, she did tried escaping the pale city before arriving here on the nest, the desolate barrens was even more dangerous than the city was, radioactive in some parts, and filled with all sorts of nasty creatures and such, and the lurker was the most dangerous one of them all... it and the reaper too that is, those two never seem to interact much with eachother, is it because of a mutual understanding? Like “I don’t bother you and you don’t bother me?” Or something else all together.

Nora ran and ran, arriving back to that odd village she first saw when arriving in the desolate barrens, hearing the lurker hot on her tail... not that she had one anyway, looking around for a place to hide as she tries to get farther away from the lurker, she rushed into a store, looking around before spotting a box just about her height, grinning as she rushed over, taking the food out of the box, and hopping into it, closing it slightly as she breathed slightly, holding her chest slightly as she hears the lurker marching into the store.

The beast growled, clicking as it searches around for the other, growling and clicking as it keeps walking, sniffing about with a low growl as it flicks it’s tongue, growling slightly as it’s tusks rubbed against the wall, growling and looking around more, hissing as it’s tail flicks slightly, at first glance the lurker would be mistaken for a normal human like the lady and thin man, but upon closer inspection that was not the case, it was a experiment the government made in a attempt to combat the virus and infection that was being spreaded worldwide, in a way it worked, but in another way it didint.

The lurker grew strong enough to break out of it’s prison, and destroyed it’s creators, and any other human it came across before then getting out and fighting the various creatures, the only human known to have survive the lurker was oddly enough the lady.... for uh... obvious reasons if you catch my meaning. In any case the lurker is only provoked when actively threatened by other humans, or when it’s distracted from it’s hunt, The lurker growls, sniffing about as it was looming over the box, it’s long tail shifting about as it looks around, growling slightly before grunting, roaring and lumbering off with a grunt as Nora calmed down, clutching her chest as she sighed in relief.

–––

she was brought back to reality after that small memory when she felt the box she in currently being placed down by the craftsman, hearing the other wheeling away as she waited slightly, before climbing out of the box... by pushing it out of the shelf as she falls out of it, finding herself in a new area entirely, blinking slightly before huffing quietly as she sees the elevator door opening slightly, well... as long as she doesn’t have to deal with the craftsman anymore she’s fine with this. Smiling softly before she huffs and starts walking forward, wondering if any other kids were doing better than her.

As for the craftsman, it was wheeling itself above, grumbling slightly as it looks around, blinking behind it’s goggles, did it see movement? Hissing slightly as it wheeled over, looking around glancing over and seeing a odd shadow watching it, looking like the shape of a little girl, twitching as it tilts it’s head, growling before stopping as it hears a much more smaller but animalistic like growl, hissing in confusion as it looks around, huffing quietly as it was wondering what made that noise.

Before it roars out as something pounced onto it, the craftsman trying to get the creature off of it before it started roaring out as the creature tore into it’s body and flesh, roaring and snarling as it thrashed about, before falling out of the chair by the creature while thrashing about, flailing it’s arms around, before twitching and spazzing out before falling limp when the creature tore enough of it’s flesh and brain and skull out, the odd creature seemed to be another human, though with sharp claws and sharp teeth, growling slightly as she huffed, before feasting upon the corpse of the craftsman as the shadow watches slightly, not doing anything besides watching the other eat, eventually fading away when the girl apparently had her fill, huffing and breathing quietly as she rubs her head, confused on what happened, before yelping at what she sees, and runs away, the corpse of the half eaten craftsman lying there., oddly not having a shadow... or any blood dripping anymore from the looks of it.. weird.

She fell into a vent, falling down deeper and near to the same level that Nora was on, but the fall made her slightly dizzy, groaning slightly as she staggers about, shaking her head before getting back up and running slightly further as she clutched her stomach slightly, shaking her head slightly as she grunts. The girl running further as she didint remember what happened, but all that was on her mind now was escaping the nest, having stayed here for long enough...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nom.


	3. Traveling Deeper Into The Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While traveling further inside the nest in order to find a way out of here, Nora finds more secrets and only more questions than answers to what's happening around here, and she makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note, I low-key headcanon that The raincoat girl/Five/Nora has a very southern like accent and you can't change my mind

Nora looks around as she gets out of the Elevator, adjusting her raincoat slightly as she looks around the room, seeing two doors, moving around some boxes and chairs as she notices a button, the box opens up before yelping as that same white creature, who is now called a nome, rushes past her, the other blinking rapidly as she staggers up "h-hey! w-wait up!" she called out, frowning slightly as she goes after the nome, looking around before seeing it going into a vent as she blinks, following after the other "h-hey! c-come on little guy I won't hurt ya! I'm as friendly as they come!" she says, her southern accent just now showing as she arrived in another one of those secret rooms.  
  
she hears the nome making odd noises as it sat on a stack of papers, the other climbing down and such as she sees another one of those boxes, she found a few of them in her travels, not knowing what importance it is to her but she always felt the urge to open them up, maybe it was for fun or that child like curiosity that was still inside of her that made her pure still, she stares at the box shows a painting or something of a person in a mirror with odd tendrils on where it's head and face are supposed to be, tilting her head slightly as she blinks slightly "huh.... weird thing..." that was 6 of those boxes she found, wondering if they were trying to show her something as she shrugs, most of the stuff here looked like it was meant for a child almost, but she had a mission to do so retracing her steps she makes it back to the room where she saw the button.  
  
Climbing up onto the table and walking on over to the button she presses it slightly, seeing the door next to the button opening slightly as she smiled in relief, she was curious about that other door but for now she'll just explore the door that's opened, so getting off the table she makes her way into the next room, looking around and seeing the light barely dimming, along with a row of boxes stacked on top of each other on a wheeler, Nora going over and pushing the wheeler to the back of the wall out of her way, before yelping and rushing forward away as the boxes fell down with a thud, just barely missing her as she stared eye-wide, before she shakes her head, grunting as she looks over, another button but it was too high for her to reach, frowning slightly before noticing a vent up ahead, or well a hole.   
  
Getting a idea she smiled slightly and climbed onto the shelves, and making her way into the hole, pushing down a board in the room where she saw the nome in that box as she notices another hole just ahead of her, wondering where it went as she goes towards it, following it slightly as she arrives in a room filled with clocks and such as she blinks, looking around in awe at the place but also a bit annoyed by the ticking of the clocks, rubbing her ears slightly as she walks on the board like bridge, walking forward before freezing as she sees the lights flickering on and off, looking down and freezing upon seeing another old like man that was seemly wearing a outfit similar to what a butler would wear, though oddly floating and having it's hands cuffed behind it's back, and it's body in a forever bowing like state as she watched the odd being float on by, freezing when it seemly opened the door with nothing but it's mind as she floated forward, Nora couldn't help but get curious so she followed the odd creature, a psychic monster...? that was new to her.. but if it's anything like the craftsman than she should keep her distance but, that doesn't mean she can follow to see where it was going anyway, so moving forward to find a way down there she goes through another hole, yelping as she falls into a bathroom like area.  
  
\---  
  
she groans slightly, thankful that she had her raincoat on with her, otherwise she would of been very wet, grumbling slightly as the other gets up and looks around the bathroom, blinking slightly "did it come from here... what the heck was it even doing...?" she asked herself, looking around the bathroom slightly as she hears the shower running, blinking slightly as she looks around, was someone else here? but not hearing her? shrugging slightly as she didn't hear anyone else here with her. Moving what looked like a suitcase to her as she tried not to make too much noise, not wanting to know how well that floating creature could hear as she pulls the curtains around, expecting to see someone but didn't see anyone but a child sized cloud, blinking slightly   
  
"....aint that peachy." she says slightly, snorting a bit as she crosses her arms lightly, looking around as she sees another button, but once again, it was too high for her to reach as she frowns slightly, climbing onto the suitcase and what looked like a bed... or was it a table? seeing a garbage can or bucket as she perks up, picking it up and moving it off the table and suitcase, throwing it into something she couldn't get onto, before walking onto it and some boxes before spotting a lever in her view, humming slightly before walking over and pulling the lever, blinking as the lights turned on to her relief, rubbing her eyes to adjust to the vision before sighing in relief, never really liking the darkness at all.  
  
"good...now... where the heck do I go from here...?" she asks herself, blinking as she looks around the whole room now that the lights were on, glancing over and seeing a tv that was turned on, as for why it was all the way up there she had no clue, climbing onto more shelves and pushing a box she yelps as a lamp fell off, the water below now becoming electrified as she grunts "oh! great now I can't even touch the water, joy..." she says, before spotting a lever and pulling it, seeing the shower stopping as she blinks, seeing the water wasn't draining as she frowns, grumbling before noticing a grate where the shower's cloud was covering a few moments ago "okay... but how do I get there though...? without touching the water..." she says slightly, before huffing, going to where she turned the power on after another few seconds and such of climbing down and walking onto tables and boxes, before turning the lever off again, the power going off as she huffs in relief, seeing no electricity now as she smiled, getting down and going over to where she saw the grate, and going into it after pulling the grate open.  
  
she arrives in a pipe like system, perking up as she sees a nome in front of her "h...hey there little guy... are you all alone here?" she asks, the nome not responding as Nora blinks, tilting her head "can you understand me little fella? I'm trying to find my way out of here, maybe we can-" as she comes over, the nome scurries off, holding a shoe as she whined a bit, going after the other, though stopping to avoid getting caught by the odd gas or steam "h-hey! come on wait up Im not going to hurt you little guy!" she says, as she kept coming over, the nome dropping the shoe and running off more as the other frowned, picking up the shoe as she huffs slightly "come on... aint there somebody around who'll help a lady out...?" she asked herself, huffing as she looks over the shoe, wondering what to do... before remembering about the button that was too high for her to reach, grinning slightly as she hurries on back to the bathroom.  
  
\---  
  
Throwing the shoe on to the button the door opens up, and she could now follow where that odd butler creature was going off too, passing by the room of clocks once more as she sees the door was still open, finding a crack as she blinks, going through it as she finds herself in another room filled with all sorts of books, blinking "huh... was this some kind of library or book storage...?" she asked herself, looking around as she finds another one of those wind up boxes, it was a red like color as she goes over to it, pulling the lever as out came a guest wearing a odd mask, blinking as she tilts her head "...why would one of these things be here? those pigs are dumber than the walkers...." and that was a true fact, walkers were basically just mindless zombies and the undead, but the guests, they were dumber than anything eating anything from meat to small children, and are very obsessed with eating while walkers are just always starving, never truly full and such as the guests don't care for how much they eat, always wanting more and more.  
  
She scoffs slightly as she shakes her head, getting out of the crack as she goes back to seeing where the butler was going too when she saw it pass by her the first time, going through the door and then going through the other door where she found that other button where she couldn't reach, seeing that the door there was also open to her relief, smiling slightly but hoping that the butler wasn't there... but uh to her surprise the door there was still closed, frowning slightly as she sighs, backtracking as she goes back to the bathroom, getting the shoe, and running ALL the way back to the other door, and threw the shoe onto the button, the door opening as she goes through it "I really hope I don't have to keep back-tracking, it's getting annoying..." she says quietly, but feeling like she just jinxed herself.  
  
finding herself in another room with a makeshift ramp but no signs of the Butler, she sighs slightly in relief, but curious to where the other went and how to get out of here now as she huffs a bit, at least the AC was working, she hadn't had fresh cold air in months, looking around as she explores around the room, climbing onto boxes once more, pushing a board down to make another little bridge to the other side of the boxes where she sees a lever, smiling a bit as she went over, and pulled it, getting off before seeing that the door was slowly closing as she yelps, quickly running and sliding through, finding herself in another room once again, a bit bigger than before.  
  
Finding a pair of matches in this large room as she takes them, or well A match as she lights it, giving her at least a small source of light for the time being as she starts exploring the room further, humming lightly as she goes around, and perks up as a couple of nomes ran out of the boxes she was going by, blinking as she huffs and follows after them, thinking they'd lead her to a shortcut out of here after lighting up a few lanterns after back-tracking and getting a new match each time she lit one of the lamps up, hearing the piano being played... or what sounded like a piano anyway, climbing down a short ladder that would make it a bit impossible for her to get back the way she came but, she didn't mind. She wasn't planning on staying here anyway so she keeps on moving, looking for a way out of this storage.  
  
\---  
  
It took a while but she finally managed to get out of the room and the room after that after finding another one of those boxes, 8 so far, not knowing what else is around here so she had to backtrack a lot but she was able to finally get out of the room itself thankfully, sighing in relief as she rubs her forehead, looking around to see where she is now after getting out of the other storage like room, still hearing that piano music playing about. After climbing onto a pipe as she almost fell when it broke, managing to get up and keep on going as she was now here in another room after finding yet again ANOTHER box humming lightly as she still hears the piano being played, at first finding herself in what seemed like a power room, going over to a nearby lever and pulling it open.  
  
going back to the other room where she slid down the pipe there was only one more door to go too, no longer hearing the piano being played as she looks around in this room, hearing the nomes once more as she perks up, tilting her head as she listened for where it was coming from after restoring power to the other room, trying to find the nome as she hums lightly, hearing the noises it was making and find it... snoring?? it was sleeping on a sink as she blinks "aw.... cute." she says quietly, getting onto the sink as she watches it sleep, she frowns, knowing she'd had to wake up the poor fella even though she didn't want to "sorry little guy... gonna need your help,,," she says, before turning on the sink as water came on rushing down onto the small Nome.  
  
The Nome shrieks a bit, scrambling out of the sink and running on off out of the room making a bunch of squeals and such as Nora watches, before getting off the sink and following the nome after turning off the water, seeing where it was going and finding it in the power room, blinking as she had to chase the nome all the way back to where she woke it up, after closing the door and running over to it, it shrieked and rushed all the way over to the corner, shivering and whimpering as Nora frowns "aw...you poor thing... I'm not gonna hurt you little buddy,,," she says, gently knelting down and hugging the small critter as the nome perks up as it was hugged, before being gently placed down as Nora smiled and started to hum quietly to the nome, making a soft melody as the nome stops shivering fully after that, looking up and tilting it's head at the humming as Nora smiles, coming over "hey there little guy.... see I aint gonna hurt you..."   
  
she says, gently stroking it's cheek, or where it cheek might be as the other perked up, chittering softly as Nora smiled "aw... look at you.. a little angel you are... mind helping me get out of here little buddy?" she asks, as the other perks up, nodding slightly with a chitter as she smiled a bit "good... it'd be nice to have a little friend around helping me around" she says, smiling as she petted the other "come on then little buddy, let's get out of here" she says, with the small nome squeaking and jumping up and down in a excited motion as the two made it out of the room, before she glanced over to a gate leading farther down "hm.... think you can open that little guy?" she asks, with the other nodding as she picks up the nome, going over to the gate and watching as the little guy opens it up, smiling slightly before blinking as the nome climbs over and rests in her raincoat, the other smiling "heh... little cutie you are.. I think I'll call ya Tiny" she says, petting it's head "come on then tiny, let's get on outta here." she says, smiling softly as she hops into the vents and slid down deeper into the nest...  
  
\---  
  
Nora and her new companion fell down into what seemed like a rubbish area, falling into a dumpster as she gets out of it, shaking herself as she looks over at her tiny nome companion "you okay little buddy?" she asks as the other nods, squeaking slightly as she smiled "good... alright.. now where do we go...?" she says quietly, looking around as she starts walking, before the two froze upon hearing something almost swimming in garbage behind them, Nora quickly running as The nome hid in her coat, the other climbing onto something as a hand almost grabbed her, she glanced back and saw the hand was long, and greenish, with sharp claws and ending in four long fingers, the hand retracting back into the garbage as the other panted, with Tiny peeking out of Nora's raincoat "that... was close... how the heck do we get past that thing...?" she wondered as tiny looks around, and perks up, squeaking slightly as it pointed up ahead as Nora blinks, looking at the crane, and boxes, and a large boat or plane propeller in the center as the other gets a idea.  
  
"....tiny, your a genius." she says, grinning "we just stay where it can't get us..! but we have to get to the other side.... welp.. hope your patience little buddy, cause we're gonna be doing this for a while..." she says as Tiny gives a small squeak as Nora once again begins her puzzle solving adventure, it took a while, from traveling from box to box to avoid the trash like monster, hooking a large metal box to a crane, and using that said crane to start lifting it up and moving the box onto the propeller as she grins slightly, rubbing some sweat off of her forehead as the two start making their way across, making sure to avoid that trash monster the best they can, she only saw small glimpses of it, mainly the hand and or back but she did notice a tail or something appearing ever so often, it almost caught her and her nome friend at times but they were both able to avoid the other when they finally make it to the other side, appearing at a odd ramp like area, where down below where a opening was, on the left and right side were sharp wooden spikes that looked sharp enough to kill both her and her little friend.  
  
Finding some barrels lying about, she pushes them to where the spikes were, and she and her nome friend slid safely down, before they both looked up seeing trash and other stuff falling from above and it seemed like that huge structure was what they had to climb up to progress further "alright.... hold on tight Tiny and don't let go." she says, as the nome squeaks slightly as Nora started to climb onto the huge structure, going left and right whenever a object was being dropped down to try to hit at her, eventually climbing all the way to the top as she pants slightly as she pats tiny "see.... we're all okay." she says, smiling as tiny gives out a squeak, before perking up as it pointed to the next room over, as Nora blinks, glancing on over and following it to see that it was another room, and another nome too.  
  
"hey there little guy... is this your friend?" she asks tiny as it squeaks, waving at the other nome as it simply scurried off into the other room as Nora blinks, before shrugging slightly and following after the nome, arriving in another room as she looks around "huh... a little safe area.... neat." she says as she looks at a lit candle and looking at various drawings and such around the room, blinking slightly before she twitches, rubbing her eyes and yawning a bit as Tiny squeaks, looking up as the other glanced down, smiling "I'm okay little buddy, just... tired..." she says, smiling a bit as she looks around before going to a corner of the wall "all that running around and such can make a girl quite exhausted..." she stated, as she sits down, rubbing her eyes "maybe just a quick nap wouldn't hurt...." she says, yawning as tiny squeaks, tilting his head as it watched Nora slowly falling asleep, snoring softly as the other squeaks, looking around before snuggling into the raincoat, and resting down, seemly also sleeping too as the other nome watched, before it perks up, hearing the distant sounds of the odd trash like monster shrieking before it turned to a muffled pained animal like cry, before being silenced by a odd crunching sound, the other nome blinks but squeaked a bit, staying where it was as it did not want to see whatever it was that seemly killed the other monster, all while it watched the raincoat girl and the fellow nome named tiny sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Raincoat girl adopts a Widdle nome in the au, gotta have some reasoning for her surviving don't I? she named her little friend Tiny! next chapter will 100% focus on the butler and such, so yeah unlike the first chapter which was summarizing the entire first level as you can see I decided to write in the whole level for this one since well,, why not. but yeah hope you enjoy!


	4. Wash Day Is Cancelled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After taking a well needed nap, Nora and her new friend keeps on traveling through the nest in order to find a way out, passing a familiar face, and bonding along the way, but in order to further progress to get out of the nest, they have to cross the butler's territory, and to make as little noise as possible to avoid him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that most of very little nightmares is very short, and most of the puzzles take up way too much time to like describe, and since like I have to basically rewatch AND write at the same time for the chapters I only have one more after this to do for nora, then like after seven and six’s story like for imp’s I won’t need to like rewatch anything cause I could basically take all the time I need for him, for the others like I pretty much have to rewatch everything I saw lol- also uh,,,, hope y’all like the little teaser thing of the lady with the lurker, mainly just made that little bit to like,,,, make the chapter a bit longer but also to further progress lurker’s personality and also get a feel of how I’m writing in the lady so uh,,, yeah a bit of a little suggestive warning for YALL *whistles*

It _was quiet today in the maw, never had it been this quiet, the geisha welcomed the peace and quiet with open arms, months passed since her hotel became a safe zone, a year after that and it became a restaurant, and very soon a prison for future generations, the geisha wore a Japanese styled kimono, her hair undone and down to her back almost as she hums softly brushing her hair as she stared at the mirror showing her reflection, the only thing staring back at her was her mask._

_By this point she was still called Veronica by the guests, not being the eventually feared and dark cold being that was the lady, she had been looking for her sister for ages now, after leaving her at what is now called the nest she had searched far and wide, but couldn’t find a trace of her, the nest was still off-limits by the government so she couldn’t get back to there, that was the last place she could think of, humming softly as her melody was a calm and soft tune, a welcoming embrace to her eventual vampiric like manner of attracting people, the beautiful woman perked up when a noise distracted her for a moment as she was humming, glancing over with her covered eyes as her expression softened a bit._

_There in front of her was a tall creature, nearly 3 feet taller than her, looking like a human at first glance but not, sporting a oddly shaped mouth with sharp teeth, and tusks on the lower jaw, along with having three small spikes on the bottom jaw that resembles a beard of some kind, eye sockets that were coated in a vivid blue like coloration, having smaller but many more extra eyes around it’s main eyes, it’s clothing was worn and torn, sporting a worn, dark grey hoodie with the fur like hood collar on it long since stained with odd greenish like blood that looked like the swampwater, the shirt was brown and long sleeved, though torn in some places, sporting a odd symbol showing a monstrous creature with a circle and a single line going from the top, to the bottom right side of the circle, this was the government’s response to fighting back the supposed virus that occurred, fighting monsters with monsters, most of the people here were afraid of this thing, the lurker. But she wasn’t, she almost adored him, humming softly as the growing beast swayed it’s tail softly, making a few clicks and soft growls, the eyes glowing a bit as it lumbers over to her, nuzzling her by the cheek._

_She smiled a bit, patting his head “hello my mon amour, couldn’t sleep again?” She stated as the large beast nodded, the lurker before it became a top dog in the desolate barrens was like a mix between a child learning new things, and a animal adapting and surviving, and surviving means anything, but to her it was a way to relief stress from working non-stop to keep the people here fed and safe “what are you doing here amour.... here to tell me something?” She asks, with the large beast saying nothing as it wraps it’s long tail around her waist, rumbling quietly as it nuzzles her exposed shoulder, she forgot she was just about ready to go to bed, humming lightly as she smiled “you don’t come this early to see me off, is something on your mind?” Veronica asks as the lurker nods a bit, rumbling as it stares outside. In a instance she understood_

_“I see... it’s almost time for you to go... are you certain you want to do this...? I know the infection would reach here eventually but.... you could stay.... with us... with me...” she says, gently stroking it’s shoulder as the lurker whines softly, lowering it’s ears as she hums, nodding “i understand... you want to be freed... I wish I could come with you dear but I cannot... my place is here, at the maw... maybe someday that can change..” she stated, with the lurker rumbling, nodding a bit as it whines, with something dripping from it’s many eyes as Veronica frowns, gently kissing his cheek as she rubs his chest a bit “oh dOnT cry amour.... we’ll see eachother again, you should be out there.... freed and not used as these people’s... experiment.... you and I both know that your special....” she says, smiling as the lurker rumbles softly, licking her cheek as she giggled a bit “I suppose that’s not also why your here... right?~” Veronica asks as the lurker rumbles happily, swaying his tail as the other suddenly kissed it deeply where it lips would be after taking off the mask, smiling softly, she could spent a couple more minutes awake with him, winking a bit “come.... let’s enjoy ourselves for one final night love, we’ll make it last~” she says, as she makes a small sound as the lurker nuzzles her closer and closer, gurgling happily as Veronica smiled, kissing his cheek as she led him to a more, private area, and the rest of night for them was perfect, as of now it would be a fragment and a broken shadow of the past the feared and powerful lady had, but for what little remained of Veronica, it was the only thing she had left to remind her of her old life._

–––

Nora was dreaming apparently, finding herself in a odd field with other people like her, they were all traveling together, with a gigantic being that looked like both a man and a ape in one, for some reason the giant monster didn't hurt them, acting as gentle and caring as a parent and guardian would, she felt safe around the huge being, like nothing would ever hurt her again, she smiled softly, she looked different too, her hair was partly white, and her dress was a worn green with other clothing too, and her eyes were odd, she remembered her own eyes being a simple green, while that was the case, only HER right eye was a bright blue like color, and the other eye being green, either way she seemed way more happier than she was before, she didn't know why but she didn't want to wake up from this dream, wanting to remain in it for a little while longer before she slowly was stirred awake.  
  
Nora rubs her forehead, blinking as she looks over, seeing Tiny squeaking rapidly at her "hm...? what's wrong little buddy?" she asks, rubbing her eyes as tiny pointed to them, squealing slightly as she blinks, looking over and seeing something wet on her palm, tears. they were tears. "oh.... sorry little guy... must of had another dream...thankfully not a bad one..." she says, smiling slightly as she patted her friend "I'm okay little guy, honest." she says, looking around at the room they were still in, she stares at one of the drawings, seeing a large hand on the. wall seemly reaching out to the nomes, and to her left she sees what seemed like a password of some kind, to what she didn't know, rubbing her eyes as she gets up, stretching slightly as Tiny climbed up to her shoulder, the other smiling "well? what are we waiting for little guy? time to get going." she says as Tiny squeaks and gives a saltue as Nora moves out of the room once more as they look around, going up a set of stairs as she noticed a odd set of tiles on the ground, blinking as she tilts her head   
  
"huh... what the heck is this...?" she asks herself as Tiny squeaks, pointing to the door and then to the numbers, seemly figuring out something "...it's like a password to open the door?" she asks as the nome nods, as Nora smiled "alright... all of this seemed way too simple for adults... in fact everything else I've seen up to here looked like it's intended for a child..." she says quietly "Alright then... so how do we open the door....?" she says, before remembering that drawing she saw in the little safe-room "hm... I think I got a idea.... wish me luck little buddy" she says, as she started going from the bottom of the password to the top, and to her delight the door slides open, grinning "yes!" she says, as Tiny squeaks, holding it's arms out in the air as Nora grins "alright, let's keep going little fella." she says, going into the next room.  
  
The two find themselves in what seemed like a laundry area, blinking as she looks around "well... that's a lot..." she says, noticing a pressure plate on the ground and a greenish chest like box on top of what looks like a fuse machine or something "hm...." she steps onto the pressure plate, but nothing happened "huh... must be out of power... of course." she says, as the two look around further, Nora climbing up a huge stack of books to a odd shelf as she looks around, seeing a clothes line as she hums, thinking as she grunts “well this is gonna be a pain to do is it..” she says, with Tiny whining slightly “it’s fine, I’m sure it won’t take as long...” she says, having a feeling that she just jinxed herself in a way, frowning slightly as they begin to do the puzzle, unaware of something or someone watching them.

–––

It. Took. Forever to do it, but the two finally managed to solve the hard puzzle, after bringing power back to the clothes line, the two jumped onto a red scarf or something as they ride along the clothes line as the two get to a grate as they arrive in the next room, praying that they wouldn’t have to deal with another puzzle like that again, it took way too much backtracking to find the light bulb, and to time the jump right in order to get to the grate, they did try to get to the other door but it was locked, and they couldn't find another way to get over there without trying to not fall off to a really high height, she did not like being high up, always made her scared and frozen, even when she was on the balloon she was terrified out of her mind, having to hold in all that fear until the crash happened.

Nora and Tiny both froze upon seeing the butler, seemly ironing the clothes as it wasn’t aware of their presence, Nora silently gulping as she and Tiny were very quiet as they slowly moved about, trying to make as little noise as possible as she notices a opened door, watching the other ironing as it seemed way too busy to notice them but, that could change in a instant. Nora noticing another machine, and then quickly getting a idea before making the said machine getting messed up, as the two quickly dashed to the opened room as the butler turned around stared at the odd seemly broken item, apparently using it’s mind to try to fix it.

Nora and her tiny nome friend finding themselves in another laundry like room, with Nora going around and exploring the area, finding another laundry room, and eventually a locked door “hm... seems like we need a key...hm... I got a idea” she says, the other going over to the first laundry like room, and after turning on something and quickly rushing over to a basket and hiding there as tiny tilts it’s head, confused at what Nora was doing as it jumps into there, squeaking before Nora shushes them as the door opens up, the two quickly getting quiet 

The butler floated by, seemly passing the two as it went to where the noise were, as Nora carefully got up, holding tiny as she rushed to where the key was, grabbing it as she smiled “bingo...” she says, before looking around to see where the lock is “come on... come on... where is it...?” She says quietly, looking around before realizing that the key might work for the door they found at the end of the hall so, making sure that the two weren’t seen, they sneak by the butler carefully and quietly, hiding in washing machines, dryers, and baskets in order to not get seen by the butler, with the two eventually getting to the door and with Nora unlocking it, the two moving forward.

–––

After finding themselves in a odd room with three other doors, and once again doing ANOTHER puzzle, this time apparently moving steam pressure or something, and also still avoiding the butler too as they roam around looking for ways to complete the puzzle, the two were finally able to finish it, by doing a LOT of valve turning and pushing a cart and getting a screwdriver as well, needless to say it was a bit difficult, they tried going to the other doors but they were all locked, and going back to do the finishing steps, making sure everything was in order before they finished this up.

they both opened up a small gate showing odd machinery and Nora struck at it with the screwdriver, opening up the gate on the bottom, Nora grinning as she and Tiny high-fived one another “alright!” She said, as Tiny squeaks in joy, Nora grinning as she puts the screwdriver down “Let’s-“ she and tiny freeze when the door suddenly opens, and she quickly goes by instinct and pulls the string, the two hearing the butler groan out in annoyance as they quickly attempted to escape, first with Tiny blaring the other’s face with a whole bunch of steam as Nora grabs the screwdriver, throwing it at the butler.

The butler gives out a distorted groan as the screwdriver scraped it’s shoulder, and after narrowly escaping said butler by blasting his face with the steam a few more times, with the girl also grabbing the small gate thing, and threw it at the butler too, the creature staggering in it’s floating movement as it’s head started getting dizzy from the sudden hit, and by the steam blocking up it’s vision and such as it thrashed it's head, before the shelf that the screwdriver was on fell, hitting the butler's head with a groan as it staggers about, as Nora and Tiny both got down the washing machine and ran.

Nora and tiny both jumped into the vent and disappeared from the butler as it looks around, grumbling in anger as it twitches slightly, before moving away, grumbling slightly as it looks around, going another way most likely to find the intruders as it floats onwards, grumbling slightly as it got the news that the craftsman and the mistress’s pet had been perished, that would not go well with the young lady, not well at all as it grumbled in anger, it had. found one of the escaped children but lost them shortly after a while ago but the mistress would find them and punish them, for now it goes back to doing it's job while still keeping a eye out for any other intruders.

–––

Nora and her tiny little friend scream as they fall down, landing onto a web as Nora glanced over, seeing the same girl she met near the cages “....sup?” Nora asked as the other girl blinked “,,,,,,hi, where did you come from?” She asked, and before she could reply, Nora yells as she falls through the web with tiny, grabbing onto a odd sack before falling on down as she groans, rubbing her forehead “owwww...” she says to herself, grumbling as she perked up when the other girl cried out

”hey! Are you okay?!” The younger kid cried out, as Nora gets up and rubbed her forehead, before giving the other kid a thumbs up “yeah... I’m fine.... uhm... sorry for scaring you..!l” she stated as the younger kid waves it off “I-it’s nothing, you just, frightened me...” she says as Nora huffs, nodding before raising her eyebrows “how did you get up there?” She asks as the other kid hums lightly “I know this place like the back of my head, I’ve gotten out of my cage before, I know places that not even that little runt knows about.” She says, grinning a bit “and it’s a lot more fun than staying in a cage all day” she says, with Nora giggling slightly "smooth. how long have you been here?" she asks as the other hums, looking around "...I lost count after a year and a half, my sister left me here before all the bad things happened, haven't seen her since." she stated as Nora frowns "Aw....im sorry to hear that." she says with six huffing "it's fine, I can take care of myself, always have and always will." she says, smirking a bit "plus it's better than being stranded on a ship in the middle of nowhere" she says, with Nora laughing slightly, she already liked this little girl.

”I like you kid! What’s your name?” Nora asks as the other hums, wondering before looking over “six... but I think the butler guy called me Akuma as a nickname or something... I dunno, but I perfer six...!” She says, smiling “it’s nice to meet ya six, my name’s Nora, a pleasure to finally meet ya” The other says, holding up tiny “and this is my little nome friend, tiny! He’s been helping me get around, havent ya little buddy?” she says, with Tiny squeaking in agreement as Six perks up "woah,,,, I didn't think one of them befriended ya... they're usually very terrified of people." she stated as Nora blinks, shrugging as she smiled a bit, gently stroking the nome's back as she looks back up at Six  
  
"guess I just have a way with people, plus the poor things are so misunderstood maybe, people treating them like nobodies,,," she says, patting Tiny's back as the nome squeaks slightly "we're helping each other to get out of here, do you wanna come with?" she asks as Six blinks, thinking "hm,,, I dunno,,, meet me outside then if you find a way out of here, there's a raft not too far down from outside, if you can meet me by the gates, then maybe I'll help ya" she says, humming a bit "deal?" she asks as Nora ponders, before nodding "Fair! you got yourself a deal six!" she says, smiling "hope to see you on the other side!" she says, with the other nodding "Same to you... and watch out for the pretender!... she doesn't take too Kindly to trespassers... I should know by experience" she says, waving before disappearing from sight, with Nora and the other watching before she huffs softly, getting up "alright tiny... let's get going." she says, gently picking up the other as they start walking, hopefully they won't have to run into the pretender... though something in Nora says otherwise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short small temporary but important friendship is formed, but how long will it last? I believe we all sadly know the answer to that.


	5. That's Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape is Futile. No one is safe from the cycle, not even a poor girl and a little tiny friend, doomed to repeat a cycle of always falling with a pretender in tow, but that's just how life is now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shall we say F now or later???? later? okay-

Nora And Tiny arrive in what seems to be like a nursery, the two looking around as they noticed several drawings of what seemed to be 8 nomes together, blinking slightly as she looks at Tiny "hm.... that's right... we gotta make you stand out from the others don't we little buddy" she says, as the other tilts it's head slightly with a squeak, the other humming slightly before she pulls out something, grinning "aha! knew i still have one of these." she says to herself, putting it onto where the nome's neck is "well? what do ya think bud!"  
  
Tiny tilts it's head, glancing over and around and noticed something blue on it's neck, a bowtie! it perks up and squeaks, hopping up and down as Nora smiled slightly "aw, knew ya like it little buddy" she says, giggling a bit as the nome climbs onto her shoulder, Nora glancing around as they began to explore the area, turning on the power after walking through a seesaw and pulling a string attached to a toy monkey that clapped it's hands together, making loud noises with the claps as it does, the other blinking slightly as she and tiny looked at one another, before the girl shrugs, glancing over to seeing a giant teddy bear that was in the process of being ripped open, blinking slightly at seeing drawings on a table, one drawing showing a very tall man in a hat, blinking slightly as he tilts her head "what the heck is this...?"  
  
Tiny squealed and made a bit of low squeaks, almost imitating growling as nora glanced over "you don't like that man in the drawing?" she asks as the nome makes a nod, hissing a bit before nora hums "well. let's be sure to stay out of his way then alright?" she states, smiling as she keeps exploring the room, pressing her foot on a button as a odd train was riding around, stopping the train when it was in front of a black looking box with a book of a place called the maw as Tiny chitters, tilting it's head as Nora kept climbing slightly, getting onto the books as she climbed up and made her way to what looks like a slide as she and tiny slid down the slide, and out came a random nome, squealing slightly as it ran through the bars between the gate into what looks like a bedroom as Nora blinks, with tiny tilting it's head slightly and perking up, chittering quietly as it pointed to various spots "hm.... you wanna find all your friends?" she asks, with the nome nodding, and pointing to the gate as she hums lightly and opens the baby gate, going inside.  
  
Nora perks up to see that the bedroom was remarkably clean and pristine, no decay, rust or any of that kind of stuff, she and tiny glanced over and saw the nome that came out of the slide was jumping up and down onto the bed, she glanced over to a pot and hummed, climbing up and pushing it down as the two looked over and saw it was another nome, it skitters about before joining the other nome on the bed as now two of them were jumping as she hums a bit, thinking as the two of them explored slightly, spotting another nome on a shelf but having no way to get there as of now, glancing over to a room where the sounds of water running could be heard, going into it, climbing up to a shelf and going through a small grate she goes over to a lever that was sprouting water out into a tub, turning it the other way as it turns off, humming lightly as she blinks, with her and tiny looking at one another "....this could take a while little bud." she says, as the nome with the blue bowtie whined a bit, the head drooping.  
  
\---  
  
"...IM A IDIOT" she says, after realizing what to do after going to the bathroom along with also finding another nome hidden behind a picture frame, so that would make three, and backtracking into the other storage room and opening up some toilet seats, watching as another one rushes out, that makes four, Tiny was tilting their head, wondering why she just said she was a idiot when she did all of that, before glancing over to the bathtub with the ducks, and remembering the other tub and internally going 'oh.' with it, she opens one more seat and sees a balloon coming up, and grabs it and rushed back to the bed room, lifting the balloon to the nome on the other side of the shelf as it lowered down, and rushed to the bed.  
  
"that's five, good..." she says, as tiny tilted it's head, curious as it followed nora to where she was going too next, going to the bathroom and putting some hose into the tub as she makes her way back to the other room with the toilet seats, and turning on the lever slightly as the water runs again, and so, making her way back to the other bathroom, glancing as the two saw a nome sitting on a floatie as she went over, the nome instantly running off to the bed to join the others "that's 6... okay... now where would the last two be...?" she says, before going back to the nursery.  
  
opening up a toybox as she started pulling things out of it, with tiny watching her with a curious expression before squeaking as one of the nomes was pulled out, the other waddling over to the bed as they started jumping around rapidly, you may wonder why it said 8 instead of 7 well that is because, she lets Tiny join in on the fun, watching as her nome friend also joins in on jumping up and down onto the bed, before the entire master bed falls down, revealing a crack as all 7 nomes went into the crack, with Tiny going back to Nora as the two entered through the crack, arriving in another safe like heaven for the nomes, and finding a series of drawings, blinking slightly as she hums a bit "weird...." she says, staring at a drawing showing a rather tall girl, and smaller other children, possibly brothers or sisters or maybe both, climbing up some bricks they make their way out of the little safe room and onto the high board like shelf of the master bedroom that possibly belongs to the mistress, or something else.  
  
Going to a grate as the two entered through it, it was tight but she was able to wander through it, the two looking over as nora freezes, seeing the butler floating as she mentally cursed "ahhh... shit... here we go again." she quietly says, as she slowly walked onto the board, the two looking down as nora freezes, seeing the Butler using it's mind to take out a kid dressed in similar red clothing to the one that she freed, covering her mouth slightly as she watched the butler floating away with the boy, the two watching the butler floating into another opened door as she shivered slightly, hiccuping a bit as Tiny squeaks in worry, gently patting her shoulder as the other looks over "i-im,,, im okay little buddy just.... i knew that kid..." she says, frowning as she rubs her eyes "...come on... let's get going..."  
  
\---  
  
the next room they arrived in was one that she will have nightmares about for the rest of her life, a dining hall, with chairs holding literal dead kids that become dolls, Nora covered her mouth, almost vomiting as Tiny squeaks, gently and shakily patting her back as she hurries through the room, climbing up shelves, and not even taking her time keeping her balance, before she swings on four chandliers as tiny hid in her coat, when the swinging was done, she arrived in a board and quickly went through the grate, and the next room was even worst as she almost fainted, covering her mouth.  
  
more children were sat on chairs, with one big red chair being shown, and one other chair that was empty, Nora shivered slightly, hiccuping a bit as she was almost on the verge to tears "t...those.... those sick fucks!" she shouted, fighting through her sobs as she grunted, rubbing her eyes as Tiny squealed, gently hugging her leg with nora panting slightly "this place is worst than the freaking city... children... they... they killed the damn children i...." she rubs her eyes, frowning more as she sniffled a bit, before she goes over to a button, and presses it, turning it off and damn near breaking it along with the plug with her foot as she growled, before she hears the distant sounds of piano music, quickly hiding Tiny in her coat as she rushed to a empty chair by the red chair and sat there, being perfectly still as the door opens, with the butler floating in as a pot used for watering flowers was seen floating right along side it.  
  
for some reason the TV came back on as she silently cursed, grumbling softly as she watches while being perfectly still as the Butler floated by, staring down onto a box, before floating back, leaving the door open as it keeps floating away, Nora waited slightly before she hops off the seat and starts walking out, frowning slightly as Tiny peeks up, squeaking softly as she stares down "....im fine." she said, looking around as they explored the hallway as she looked around for a way out to meet six by the gates, the two fell down a weak board, seemly appearing underneath the floor boards as both she and tiny blinked rapidly "...well that's one way.... come on then little bud. stay close." she says, as she and tiny started to go to the nearest grate, arriving in the room above, she could just barely see glimpses of something, was someone having a tea party?  
  
hearing the sounds of someone sipping tea, her theory was proven correct, glancing through the cracks she froze upon seeing who was drinking the tea, it was another kid like her, though slightly taller, and having white hair, and a green dress, hair covering both eyes as she sips tea, this must of been the mistress six told her about, or rather "The pretender." she gulps silently, before quietly walking off to the next grate she saw, as tiny was very quiet, almost shivering when they were far enough away from the pretender, getting up out of the grate and they see a whole bunch of pictures... along with a elevator... and seeing the next door all the way on the top as she twitches "....you gotta be kidding me."  
  
\---  
  
after a WHOLE lot of backtracking with the elevator and also trying to keep herself from losing her mind and finding some secrets here and there, the two finally had the elevator shaft put them all the way to the top, as Nora staggers out and falls onto the ground, groaning slightly as Tiny whines slightly, gently patting her back slightly as the other twitches a bit, before slowly getting up as she grumbled slightly, arriving in a hallway with staircases, Tiny hiding in her coat as Nora glanced up, seeing the picture of the pretender with other children, huffing softly as she keeps walking, going down and up stairs, finding some more pictures and such, and a statue of seeing the pretender, and another picture of seeing a hanging man? or something.  
  
She perks up as she hears the door slam open, glancing down as she sees the pretender dragging the now dead kid like doll dressed in red with her, and throwing it onto the floor, seemly scolding it as she lightly kicks it, making a bunch of distorted growling and such as Nora watches, her eyes widening slightly as she watched the pretender dragging off the boy to another opened door, she couldn't help but feel like that must be the way to go, huffing quietly as she rubs her forehead "alright.... let's get this over with." she says quietly, finding her way down the many stairs and onto the shiny floor.  
  
the moment they got to the opened door, the door on the left swung open, as the butler was seen floating out the door, with Nora wasting NO TIME at all to start running as tiny hid in her coat, she could sense that the butler was now 100% chasing her, running outside finally as they went pass statues of hand that would fall down by the butler's abilities as she keeps running, panting slightly as they go over a rock, going over pillar and pillar, and going through a few distractions before finding six trying to open the gate as she notices nora "took you long enough! im guessing the butler's coming?!" she shouted as nora nodded "YEA!" she says, as the two started forcing the gate open, when they did, six sprinted away, with nora following closely behind, seeing a electric fence "OH YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!" Nora grunted, before seeing six pointing to a power box "turn it off!"   
  
She nodded, rushing and climbing onto the platform and turning off the power as Six rushed through the smaller gate as Nora followed slightly behind, making sure that Tiny was still hidden in her coat, running more and more as she turns a right corner, sliding down a corner and running onto a bridge, yelping as the bridge was nearly destroyed, catching on just in time as she climbs and climbs and climbs, getting back up and running once more as she notices six was passed out, the other widening before she takes a moment, before grunting as she started running again, going into the shack and closing the door, as six quickly ran to it, banging on the doors "hey! hey what happened!" she shouted out before nora called out  
  
"that thing must of closed the door! can you find another way around?!" nora says, as Six looks around "i-i can try! if we don't see eachother let's meet up by the raft! stay safe!" the other said, as she runs off, with Nora being all alone once more as she sighs a bit, with Tiny peeking out of the coat as she patted it's head "we're okay little buddy, we're alright,,," she said, before they noticed some stairs, walking down it, faintly hearing the odd noises of the butler, followed by something being crashed and torn off was heard, blinking before she yelps at seeing a blood splatter appear on a window, before seemly silence was now heard once again, with Nora breathing slightly as she balanced herself a bit on the odd boardwalk, staring down to see remains of scrapped dolls and such as she shakes her head, going outside and freezing a bit as she hears.... crying...?  
  
\---  
  
bad move, bad move BAD MOVE TO FOLLOW THE CRYING- it led her and her tiny friend to seeing the pretender, sitting on a bench, and crying slightly seemly overlooking the sea as the doll she was scolding was nowhere to be seen, all that remained were it's feet, when she stepped on a twig and it snapped, the Pretender stopped her crying and snapped her head over, making a angry growl as once again, Nora was running once more, this time CLIMBING down a cliff as the pretender was coming after her, AND REALLY coming after her, with her grunting as tiny squealed, the two going down further and further as the pretender showed no sign of slowing or stopping.  
  
as she keeps climbing down, yelping slightly as she notices six "six!!! h-help! IM BEING CHASED HERE!" she called out as the other girl blinked rapidly as nora kept climbing down more and more, before six yells as a part of the cliff gave away, causing her to fall right before nora's eyes as she had to keep climbing down further and further, seeing that she was hanging onto a log, nora grunted knowing that the pretender would get closer but she had to save her, forcing a log down with all her might as it came down, and not even checking she goes right back to climbing down, breathing slightly as Tiny hid in her, shivering and whimpering slightly as she had a look of relief for a second as she sees Six dropping and landing and running across the log, before nora's relief turns to fear by the sounds of the pretender.  
  
she keeps climbing and climbing trying to see if she should of just jumped down to begin with, she keeps running more and more before she stops, seeing that she was at the edge of the cliff, shivering as she turns around, trembling, there was nowhere left for her to run too, shivering slightly as the pretender comes forward, growling and snarling, before it could do anything, Six who was up above running along side nora, pushed a big rock down, the huge structure shattering into billions of pieces as it rammed itself into The pretender's body, having her fall to the ground and twitch slightly, as Nora and six both stared, panting slightly, with tiny peeking out, and squeaking slightly, clapping his hands, they survived!  
  
Six panted slightly, heavily breathing before she manages a happy smile "w-we did it! we did it nora!" she called out, as Nora panted too, breathing as she grins slightly, having a thumbs up show "y-yea! w-we did it kid! good work!" she says, panting slightly as she rubs her forehead, staring down onto the body of the pretender, frowning as she smirked "that's what you get for killing children, you crazy son of a bitch." she says, grinning slightly before she rubs her forehead, glancing over "So... uh... where that's raft again?"  
  
Nora asked, as six was about to answer, before she froze as nora raised a eyebrow, and quickly snapped her head and froze, holding tiny close to her as her eyes were shown, the pretender was still alive! lunging forward as the two fell off the cliff, as six screamed out and reached a hand to no avail to the falling nora, who did the same as Tiny squeaked and shrieked, hiding inside her as nora and pretender kept falling... and falling, and falling, until they hit the water with a huge splash as Six froze, shaking and shivering "no... no no no no..... please don't be dead... please don't be dead..." she says quietly, shivering before covering her mouth upon seeing nora's raincoat floating onto the air, but no sign of her, or pretender or the tiny nome, she shivered slightly, freezing as she hiccups "n...no......" she shakes slightly "i... i didn't lose another one.. n...no..." she hiccups further, covering her mouth as she shivers, trembling before she gets up, rubbing her eyes as she starts to walk off, frowning and drooping her head as she began to climb down the cliff, going to where a single raft was there floating, waiting for her as she glanced over, seeing the raincoat floating slightly as she frowns, climbing further and further ".....everyone dies."  
  
\---  
  
after a while, all power in the nest seemly turned off, all was quiet now that nothing was left, only a few nomes and such scurry around, the rest were either dead, or escaped to the outside, the POV changes to a camera lying on the ground, as a few nomes were running around in the lens of it, the sounds of a door opening could be heard, as the nomes scurry off, the camera's lens show a pair of legs and feet walking by, the legs being covered by dark blue like jeans, and the boots being a shiny black like color, there was some hint of something green too that looked to be nearly down to the legs, as something odd and black grabbed the camera and hoisted it up, seeing that it was recording as the being seemly followed the other one around the nest, the person having a oddly dark green like duster, with a odd symbol of a moon on it, having odd gloves that seemly show a glimpse of something from the occult, sporting messy black like hair, and having a white fedora on, and a light blue looking scarf, where the sleeves were rolled up showing the person having a black shirt underneath the duster like trench-coat, the being that was recording the odd person explored with the other across the house, soon enough finding the bodies of the craftsman, that had since been turned to a decaying corpse with bones exposed, the butler who was weakly glancing up, and growling upon seeing the person that the dark being was recording, before the butler shortly grew quiet as a knife was planted straight into it's head, the knife looking like a large machete with purple veins on it, and red looking ductape as the being kicks the head open, knocking the machete out of the butler's head.  
  
the corpses of both nora and pretender could be seen too, along with the corpses of the many nomes in the nest, and the odd trash like monster that got torn to pieces, the tall being huffs slightly, looking around before turning around to stare at the camera as the screen glitches for a second as the dark being focuses the lens in, the face of the person being shown to be normal, if a bit cartoonish like round, with pointed wolf like ears, sharp teeth, scars around the face, a grey vest over the black shirt with a symbol of a large wolf like creature, the eyes of the person were sharp, and a bright colored purple, with a odd dim red like hue emitting out of the white of the eyes, the odd person seemly smiled, looking at the various bodies, and shrugged slightly "WELL THIS SUCKS. DOESN'T IT?" it said, as it snaps it's fingers, the camera seemly playing the audio of a song that had the lyrics " _that's life! (that's lifeee) That's what all the people say, you're riding high in april, shot down in may, But i know i'm gonna change that tune, When i'm back on top in june, i said THAT'S LIFE! (that'sss life) And as Funny as it may seem, Some people get their kicks Stomping on a dream! But i don't let it, let it get me down! cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around, **I've BEEN A PUPPET, A PAUPER, A PIRATE, A POET, A PAWN AND A KING!** I've been up and down and over and out, AND i knowwwww, one thing, each time i find myself, flat on my face, i pick myself up and get Back in the race." _the screen glitches up more, the being lifting it's arms up as it shrugs, grinning as it's head tilted slightly as it's grin widens slightly.  
  
"THAT'S LIFE! (that's life) **I TELL YOU, I CANT DENY IT.** I **THOUGHT OF QUITTING,** BABY. But my heart just **ain't gonna buy it** , And if i didn't think it was worth one single try!!!!.... I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, A pawn and a king I've been up and down and over and out And I know one thing Each time I find myself layin' Flat on my face I just pick myself up and get **BACK IN THE RACE THAT'S LIFE (THAT'S LIFEEE) THAT'S LIFE AND I CANT DENY IT, Many times i thought of CUTTING OUT BUT MY HEART WON'T BUY IT, but if there's nothing shaking come this here july, im gonna ROLL MYSELF UP IN A BIG BALL AND D I E.** my, my......."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending with a song duet and a bit of forshadowing of what's to come hue hue hue hue


	6. Escaping To A Prison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We last left Seven where he and mono were forced to go their own ways during a deadly encounter with the reaper, now he tries to survive them and the lurker until he stumbles across a temporary solution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we are, at the part you've all been waiting for most likely, welp,,, let's get started.

Seven was a very unusual boy, having no parents, or history with bright city, date of birth, nothing. Almost like he just appeared out of thin air one day and just remained like that, people speculate about what happened to his family, some way they sent him away to here, others say that he ran away, or most just simply accepted that he really did just appear out of thin air one night, he became a sort of local legend, being like a Peter Pan and Robinhood sort of character, stealing food, jewels, and other stuff from people who have too much of it, and giving it to those that need it, very rarely saving a bit for himself.

He didn’t go to school, usually learning as he survives in the streets, usually listening to what his friends told him, speaking of friends he rarely had any, the only two he has to call friends were Mono and Rainy, rainy lived with mono apparently, having been taken in when he was found to be the only survivor from a burning accident in his old house, when seven, rainy and mono were together, they were unstoppable almost, mono was the brawns, Rainy was the brains, and Seven was the runner, having to run VERY fast, some people even called him the runaway kid due to how fast he could run. He was very unusual for his appearance too, eyes always covered by his messy brownish black hair, having a blue hoodie like garment, messy light blue pants, and a chain attached to his foot, it never really bothered him, since no one ever seemed to hook up any chains to that one whenever he DID get caught. Always finding some way to slip away without harm.

Mono’s family was the closest that seven could remember to have a family that cared about him, despite his reputation with the entire city he always found a way to remain hidden like mono, for days he would spent at mono’s house, most days he would be at his own little safe heaven, like mono and many others, he was truly shocked when the outbreak started, the infamous “When Day Breaks” event, it was just a usual run for him, stealing food was getting harder for him to come by, imagine his surprise when he saw huge piles of flesh with tons of eyes on them, killing and devouring and infecting everyone they come across, he was lucky to survive, oddly enough the children weren’t affected by it, not as much as adults were. Very few survivors of adults were reported that night, soon enough the outbreak reached the outside world and the government tried everything they could do to stop it, making their own monsters to combat it, establishing safe-zones and quarantines, making their own chemicals, but it ended up having bright city be bombed non-stop by the government in a desperate attempt to destroy the eyes, of course it did not work.

–––

Five places were created eventually from the failure of operation Warhead, The once proud and towering city of bright city, became the huskless Shell of it’s former self called the pale city, the second place that was created was originally a safe-zone for survivors of the outside, the city and the government, eventually turning into a prison called the maw, on the outskirts of the city were the desolate barrens, a area far more dangerous and untame then the pale city, where the worst of creatures and freaks reside, the fourth place to be created was the nest, originally a safe-area by some survivors and the government, but the people of the house soon enough turned on eachother, and started kidnapping and taking children, the fifth and last place to be created was of course the outside, the government really did fire out bombs upon bombs around the infected zones and such, the Soviet Union and Chinese and British also took part in this, but of course it was a failure, the outside was just like the other places, desolate, radioactive, and cruel.

But there was a safe place, a area where the eyes couldn’t reach, Far within the desolate barrens and further into the outside was the safe-heaven, a rumored sanctuary for those who want to live peacefully, some survivors did try to live as normally as they could but if they really wanted to go back to normal, well... as normal as it could get, and if they risked their own life, they could go to the safe-heaven, a place that is thought to be legend, before their plan to the safe-heaven was made, mono, rainy and seven were at the school and other kids that were lucky enough to survive the monsters.

but all it took was one window by one idiot kid to have the teacher get infected by the eyes, it took a while, and a lot of restraining mono but the three were able to escape with some survivors, after that they were hold up in a old warehouse with various other kids, with mono acting as the leader. Things were going well for them, until the entire place was burnt down, with only mono, rainy and seven being the only survivors, after that they tried to find their way to the safe-heaven, while mono was slowly losing interest in the plan, along with rainy, seven was not. After a deadly encounter with the Hunter, it was just Seven and mono after that, having to spent weeks and months trying to find their way out of the city, just as they were almost home-free a terrifying encounter with the reaper forces them to separate, now We All know how mono turned out in the end... but what about seven? What happened with him when they were forced to go their own ways? Well... let’s find out shall we?

–––

Mono and seven were running, and running as they both jumped onto opposite ends of a bridge, seeing most of the bridge instantly fall off, preventing them from getting back to eachother as Seven grunts, trying to look for a way around “damn it... MONO!” He calls out “we can’t get to eachother! We have to spilt up for now! Let’s meet up by the outskirts! By the trains!” He says as mono replied, worried “but what about you?!” He called out as seven huffs “iLL-“ he was cut off by the loud hungered roars of the viewers and lost souls “DONT WORRY ABOUT ME! RUN! RUN MONO! HURRY!” He says, and the two start running, with a horde of lost souls and viewers going after him, and with the reaper chasing after mono, While mono was running towards the orphanage, unaware that he was being played right into the eyes's hands, Seven kept running further and further into the city, trying to get to the shoreline, he knew the viewers and lost souls couldn't swim, so he should be safe in water, the only thing he'd have to worry about was the lurker who was a excellent swimmer.  
  
Seven kept running, and running as he glanced back, seeing the hordes of viewers and lost souls coming after him, the other running more and more as he dodged and jumped over small gaps, rubble, and lamps, he wasn't going to let those things get him, panting slightly as he keeps on running and running further, making sure that he wouldn't get caught by them as he keeps sprinting off, not stopping at all as he panted, before he trips and yelps, falling down a roof and falling onto a pile of mud and slid down to the beach, rolling and rolling before he lands onto the ground with a huff, groaning as he rubs his forehead "ow......" he said quietly, looking around slightly as he blinks, before yelping as he sees the hordes of viewers and lost souls seemly jump off blindly, all of them falling onto the ground several feet and or meters away from him with horrifying thuds and splashes, he stared at the twitching and various bodies, some of the lost souls were shattered upon impact due to their bodies being shells. but some of them somewhat survived, as they and the viewers slowly got on up, groaning and hissing, as one of them turned to stare at seven's direction, the other freezing and gulping before perking up as a loud blood-curling roar echoed.  
  
The viewers and lost souls all looked up before an large terrifying beast lunged from the shadows, mauling and tearing apart of the swarms of lost souls and viewers, having the appearance of a large human, being around nearly 35 feet tall, and having features of what seemed to be a dinosaur, reptiles, and mammals, with the huge body, sharp claws, powerful legs, a long robust tail with a paddle like end to it, sharp rows of spines, and a odd looking mouth, and sharp tusks on the lower jaw, along with some spikes underneath it's chin, with it's dark blue eyes and smaller but many more yellowish and other eyes glaring into the beasts, it was the dreaded beast known as the top-dog of the desolate barrens, the Lurker. the man-made weapon roared loudly as it slams it's fists onto it's chest repeatedly, roaring out at the lost souls and viewers as they all blindly tried attacking the much more larger and stronger beast, now normally most special monsters won't harm anyone else, minus the teacher but that was because of her role, if her 'students' misbehaved, then she would punish them, but the lurker was different, and I'm not talking about just the height and the fact that it looks like a literal monster compared to the others around the city.  
  
it wasn't like the others, it would attack and devour anything that moved, getting in fights with the other monsters mainly for territorial purposes, but also but how it was made, the government mainly created the lurker as a means to combat the outbreak, fighting fire with fire as one would say, and it seemed some of that basic programming remained as The lurker even though years and months later, is still doing what the army intended it for it do, kill the infection. it became a alpha-dog around here, ruling over the desolate barrens while mainly hunting in the city most of the times, acting like an Tyrannosaurus rex, a animal mainly acting on instinct rather than obsession, but that still doesn't mean that it was anything BUT friendly, it was still a huge threat and what it was doing now proved it, tearing apart viewers and lost souls with it's jaws, claws, and tusks, using it's tail to break their backs, strangle them until they were limp, and using it's massive bulk to shake off the viewer's attempts of adding the lurker to the signal tower's energy. eventually the swarms of viewers and lost souls were gone, their bodies and remains laying around the beach as blood soaked the ground as the lurker growled, staring over seven's direction as it lumbers over, with seven gulping and covering his mouth, closing his eyes as the other sniffed him, before scoffing and grunting, looking around before walking off, starting to feast upon the remains of the creatures as seven blinks, noticing this, and soon enough realizes why ".....it can't detect you if your covered in mud... or anything that's strong enough to block human scent.... woah." he says quietly, he notices a row-boat at the shore, his ticket out of here.... before he could try to get to it though, the familiar sounds of the reaper were heard as the lurker snaps it's head towards the reaper, and roared.  
  
\---  
  
The Reaper was in it's dinosaurian like shadow form, growling and clicking as odd tendrils were thrashing around on it's back, snarling and hissing at the lurker for killing all of it's minions and the tower's husks. The lurker did nothing but snarl and grunt, steam escaping from it's nostrils as it roared loudly at the smaller creature, The reaper despite being feared the same way as the thin man and the lady were, is nothing compared to the lurker despite it's advantages, The reaper snarled and rushed forward, using it's smaller size and speed to it's advantage as the shadowy creature dodges most of the lurker's attacks, lunging up and clawing into the massive beast as The lurker snarls, trying to smack at the shadowy being before biting onto it's tail, and swinging it away, roaring loudly as it's eyes flared up.  
  
The Reaper catches itself with it's tendrils, snarling as it rushed forward once again, piercing and slicing into the lurker with it's bony tendrils as the larger beast snarls in pain, thrashing about as it smacks the shadowy monster with it's tail, roaring and snarling as the Reaper clamps it's jaws onto the lurker's neck, tearing into it's gills as the humanoid like monster roars out loudly in agony, tearing into the back of the reaper with it's claws as it started tearing out the tendrils but each tendril he tore off, impaled itself into the lurker's body, roaring more as the reaper thrashed it's jaws deeper into the other's neck, the other choking out blood before the tendrils exploded into a bunch of shards, impaling and slicing into the Lurker as it kicks the reaper off, coughing and panting as it staggers, groaning and shaking it's head, trying to recover.  
  
The shadowy being snarled before it lets out it's main attack, the one that absorbs souls and it's essence, The lurker roaring out loudly as it thrashed about, shrieking as it kicked and threw sand and dust about, before falling down onto it's back with a massive thud, the Reaper snarling and hissing as it cracks it's neck a bit, before sniffing and turning around, seemly growing as it stares at Seven, who was running but stopped shortly after he hears no more noise, slowly glancing over and freezing a bit as the Reaper growls slightly, clicking it's jaws before it slowly started walking towards him, now you know how I said that the lurker is stronger than the reaper despite the reaper's abilities surpassing both the thin man's and the lady's abilities. that is because unlike the reaper, the lurker has a weapon that it only uses as a last resort, and is known to be it's strongest weapon.  
  
The reaper freezes, hearing a odd humming noise as it looks around, with seven glancing over and freezing, from the tip of the tail and all the way up to the neck, the lurker's spines were glowing a bright green that had purple sparks erupting out of it, with the reaper turning over, before shrieking as the lurker releases a huge stream of heat, light, and radiation as it scorched the reaper, there was one weakness that affected the reaper 100% if it wasn't in it's normal form with it's cloak covering it, the sun and heat. the only thing capable of burning and possibly destroying it as it shrieks further in pain, being engulfed by the flames as the lurker kept firing it out, Seven taking no time to waste as he rushed to the boat, untying it and climbing on as he starts to push it away, turning back just in time to see that what was left of the reaper for now was a burning husk, as the lurker growls, placing a foot onto the reaper's back, and letting out a loud ferocious roar into the air, before eventually lumbering off, grabbing a rather large corpse of a viewer, and wandering off back to it's main hunting grounds as the remains of the lost souls and other viewers were seemly swept and curled into the reaper, recovering and restoring it to full working order as it falls to it's knees, coughing and grunting before it picks it up's scythe, and limps away as seven watches, before sighing in relief, and falling down onto the boat, letting the currents guide the boat to wherever it was that he'll end up.  
  
\---  
  
he didn't know how long he was out in the sea for, time passed and he slowly came to the conclusion that he was lost, he saw the lurker a few times, mainly swimming by with only it's spines and tail showing as Seven rubs his eyes, falling back down onto the wood of the boat as it kept floating to a endless direction, he didn't know if months or Years passed but he didn't seem to mind, only hoping that mono was doing better than he was, eventually he was getting too tired to stay awake, he felt something larger hit against his boat, and feeling a large hand gently picking him up, from his view of vision he could see that it was a large man dressed in heavy clothing, wearing a odd hat that a ferryman would wear, the odd being stares slightly at the other, before gently placing the tired boy down onto it's own ship.  
  
He didn't know why this man saved him, but he seemed much more sentient than the other beings, so perhaps he was like that odd thing that protected him and mono from the hunter, but more meant for the sea? he had heard stories of a ferryman that's been around ever since the start of and end of bright city, and appearing even after the world had fallen into disarray and chaos, a shadow guiding lost souls to where they need to be, kids who were special, kids like him. he didn't have any powers, he was only really well known for his speed and his cleverness. but if it was a trait he assumed it was a power, having super-speed maybe? not like the powers mono has, being able to seemly travel and tune into tv's. he frowns at thinking about that, he wonders if his friend was still okay, maybe he was having a better time surviving out in the city than he was?  
  
coming back to his own thoughts now, Seven barely looked around, seeing at the end of the giant man's boat, was a odd girl that was tied up, dressed in a yellow raincoat and having black gloves on her hands, her face hidden by both her hair and the raincoat's hood, blinking slightly as he wondered why she was tied up, but he wasn't, but not like he cared, he was tired and hungry. Glancing over as the large giant of a man was rowing the boat, he didn't know where but as long as it wasn't the pale city he would be fine, but he glances back to the girl, seeing that she was asleep despite not even making a sound, odd.... but not unusual, some kids are usually very quiet when asleep, or she was knocked out, he rather preferred the latter as he glances over to the giant man, who was simply staring down at him and the girl as he kept rowing, he manages to make a small tired smile "t....thanks..." he says, as the ferryman seemly didn't reply, but kept rowing, though at a slightly more slower pace.  
  
he thought back to all that happened, with the outbreak, the surviving and losing and dying, he coughs slightly, frowning as he curled himself up, rubbing his eyes slightly as he sighs, hoping that his friend is okay, he knows by know that rainy is most likely dead. frowning slightly but, at least the kid wouldn't have to worry about the hours of the world anymore. unaware to seven what was slowly appearing in front of him, the girl and the ferryman in the fog, was a massive prison and ship that Seven warned mono and rainy to never go upon, was now to where he was going now with no choice, that place was once a safe-heaven, now just like the rest, he and this girl were being taken a place that on the outside seemed like a perfectly sanctuary to survivors, but on the inside, it's just as dangerous as the rest of the world. they were being taken to the prison known as... the maw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh- yeah that's how seven got to the maw,,, in my au anyways I dunno if it's explained how he exactly got to the maw but this is how I imagined it would go, also yeah... the reaper may be tough and terrifying but place It against the lurker? and that thing is sushi when the lurker's done. makes ya wonder why people seem to fear the reaper more than the literal abomination that is the lurker.


	7. The Depths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a while of living in the maw, Seven is now ready to escape, but while A certain girl keeps going higher and higher, He goes deeper and deeper, to where a lonely granny resides, desperate to care for children once again, by any means possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure we all were afraid of the water after the depths in little nightmares yeah?

He was Dreaming, of what he had no clue but it was a dream none the less, showing events of what happened up to that point, his ‘birth’, his friends, the start of the outbreak, the separation of his friends, and surviving up to here, the dream showed him swimming in water, odd looking water, before he was suddenly pulled under by a large hand, and that what stirs him awake with a gasp onto bed, panting slightly as he looks around, shivering slightly.

”....just another dream...” he says, looking around the very dark room “why is there no light here all the time...” he says, huffing quietly as he gets up, looking around “..where are the others....? DoNt tell me they already tried escaping...” he says, sighing a bit as he rubs his forehead, he too wanted to escape this place as badly as everyone else but at least down here the janitor didn’t hurt them at all, only seemly placing them back in their beds and going off to do his work, cleaning up the place and apparently making toys despite being blind.

either way, he had to check to see what was wrong, so huffing quietly he gets off of bed, adjusting to the darkness as best as he can, there was of course a light on, but it was very dim and faint, huffing quietly as he looks around further, frowning a bit. Before perking up as the sounds of something being dragged was heard, followed by the usual sounds of the janitor as he gulps a bit, hesitating to go out the door, but again. He had no choice, and plus he wanted to see better, getting out of the bed area he glanced over to see a glimpse of the Janitor going after a kid, before staring as the kid squirms slightly as the janitor brings them back to where the kid was originally, which was possibly and most likely of course, their beds.  
  
Seven starts exploring the area, making sure to take careful steps as he looks around, going over to a opened room, and seeing that a bed was turned over, revealing a hole that leads to the floor below, as he stares at the wall showing a drawing of a ship, the same one that the guests get on and aboard, he hops down the hole, landing on a bed as he hears the odd noises of a low squeal, and something slimly and such slithering underneath the bed where a bunch of odd black goo was sticking to the floor, followed by a massive drawing of a ever watching eye on the wall as Seven shivers slightly, blinking as he grunts, getting off of the bed and making his way out of the room, and froze upon seeing one of those eyes opening up and shining it's light to various spots, mostly to watch for children, and when children were caught in them, they were seemly turned to stone, or perhaps a nome. either way he was glad to be up here and not down there but, he thought he saw someone down there seemly hiding from the eye, curiosity getting the better of him as he starts to make his way down.  
  
\---  
  
Apparently he wasn't the only one to get the bright idea of trying to get out when no one else was around, after climbing down some cages and such, and dropping to the ground, he glanced over and notices that it was a girl in a white dress and braids, the girl quickly taking off when the eye was focusing on where he jumped down, but he was smarter, quickly hiding as the eye moves away from sight, as he starts going to cover to cover, seemly following where the girl was going, mainly because he's curious to where she was going.  
  
Going through the hallway and sliding through some gates and running through a play area as he slides through some other gates, and noticed a door to a bathroom opening as he notices. the girl, coming closer and perking up when she threw down a makeshift rope to climb down, noticing the other and perking up as the two stared at each other "....uhm..... hey.... nice day for a walk?" Seven asked, as the girl didn't response, climbing on down the rope as seven blinks, frowning a bit "rude...." he says, before shrugging, going after her. Mainly cause he had nothing else to do and he was planning on finding a way out in the more deeper parts anyway, while the more up someone goes, the more danger there is with all those guests and chefs and such, at leash down here the only thing you'd have to worry about were the leeches.  
  
also climbing down the rope he hops down to the ground, running to where he thought he saw the kid, looking over to see a opened grate leading down deeper as he blinks, looking around before sighing a bit "....welp...." he covers his nose slightly and slid down the hole, arriving deeper down into the maw as he falls onto the water with a splash, yelping a bit as he quickly climbed onto a box, shaking himself off "j-jeeze!" he shouted a bit, huffing as he rubs his hair "could of at least warned me there was water down here!" he says, grunting a bit as he looks around, seeing another box ahead as he looks around, making sure that it was safe to cross before going back into the water, and swimming on over.  
  
or rather, wading apparently, climbing onto the box and seeing a pair of boards up ahead blocking the way forward when out of the water, so making his way on over after moving the suitcase by the Handle to the end, seeing a shine of light near a gap as he tilts his head, before grabbing the board and jumping over as he wanders in, and blinks as he sees a flashlight on the ground, the same one that belonged to the girl as he blinks, seeing footsteps "...where the heck did she go?" he asked himself, grabbing the flashlight and aiming it around slightly, getting a feel of the layout, seeing a odd trail of black goop and footprints as it led to a small crack in the wall with some boards, after going through it, the footsteps end, and what was there instead was a leech, hissing slightly as Seven quickly ran away from it, jumping through a hole as he landed in what seemed like a room with a lot of puddles, walking through the water as he blink, guessing the worst happened to the kid as he shrugs slightly, what a way to go though.  
  
\---  
  
After dodging and evading several more leeches in the room he was in that was filled with puddles, sliding underneath a pipe and dodging a leech from above, he forgot how quick those little buggers were in the water, jumping over another pipe and dodging another leech that dropped from above, climbing onto a metal fence, and using his parkour skills from when he was running around all the time in the bright city to his best interests as he makes his way out of that room, climbing and jumping until he reaches another room after climbing and jumping, before he freezes upon hearing a odd echoing bellow like noise, freezing up as the noise and roar echoed for a while, until all that was left heard was a drop of water, as Seven shivers slightly "Wait... I thought no one came down to this part of the maw anymore... all that was here ARE leeches... r....right...?"  
  
He would now have to be more careful, not wanting come across whatever made THAT sound, jumping down a hole as he notices even more water, also a odd dress that looked like it's been here for a while, he didn't waste any time in stopping to see if anything was in the water before he swam across as fast as he could, climbing onto metal bars and hopping over a gap and hopping into more water as he yelps, quickly swimming back onto land as he rushed over to a stack of boards blocking his way forward, quickly pulling one or two of them off as he goes back to the water, thankfully It was more shallow and where he'd only have to walk... right? he shakes his head, hurrying through the water and such as he tries to find out where to go next.  
  
he was wrong, the moment he set foot in the next opened room that the shallow water was in, it went straight back to swimming as fast as he can, he glanced over and started panicking when some rubble and chairs moved, seeing a large shadow underneath the water slowly gaining to him as he hurries, quickly climbing back onto land as he backs away enough to see it swim away back under deeper water, shaking slightly as he panted slightly, taking a deep breath as he looks around, shining the flashlight around, seeing he might have to raise a water level to a large hole in the area that's been drained of water in order to progress... at least he thinks so, he just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible to not see that, that thing again. the lurker he could handle seeing swimming in water but ANOTHER creature that can also swim in water?! that was a no-go for him.  
  
Glancing up to a big pipe as he shivers, hoping that the creature would't come through as he goes to a grate, shining his flashlight at it as he notices leeches clogging the way though as he grunts, before grabbing a can, and throwing it onto the leeches as they hissed and moved out of the way, coming towards hm as he makes his way around them, as he crawled inside, quickly making his way by as he perks up, hearing a odd sound like a mixture of a chitter, squeak and click as he shines his flashlight through some bars, not seeing anything as he tilts his head, wondering what could of made that sound as he shrugs, before making his way out of the grate and onto the water, quickly climbing up wooden beams and such as he makes it to a machinery object that seems to be child-sized for how to work it, blinking slightly as he glanced over to the short amount of water there, and back to the machine, slowly realizing something ".....I hate the water now."  
  
\---  
  
after a bit of time and such trying to figure it out what he was supposed to be doing, releasing the pressure and turning a lever around to have the water go to a certain point before seeing a opening in a hole where the water was rising up to, jumping on down and swimming through it, wading through a flooded hallway with swimming as he ducks under pipes, keeping a eye out for the creature as he climbs onto a barrel, and jumping straight to the ladders, quickly climbing onto it and onto solid ground as he pants in relief, flopping on down to the ground for a moment "oh thank god..... please no more swimming... I CANNOT take anymore swimming in this place..."  
  
He says, as he gets back up, and opens a little grate to further move forward, and then glanced over and froze upon seeing a lot more water, frowning as he groans and covers his face, falling onto his back and screaming in a muffled tone for a moment as he grunts, getting back up, preparing once again to swim as fast as he can, seeing a few things he could climb onto to avoid getting grabbed by whatever is in the water, freezing upon seeing a glimpse of the creature swimming, having a slightly humanoid appearance from what he could see with the flashlight and the shadow, not only that it was another monster like the lurker that could swim, but it was also a giant humanoid LIKE the lurker too? he grunts, rubbing his forehead "okay... okay... you can do this.... just don't focus on anything else... just keep swimming." he says, before hopping into the water, first swimming to a huge box and climbing onto it, staying on there for a moment, before yelping as he quickly jumps to a sofa when the creature bumped itself into the box In a attempt to get him off.  
  
Now he knows he was on a time-limit, so not stopping to take a breather he keeps doing what he was doing, swimming from cover to cover, and jumping from cover to cover to avoid getting forced back into the water, when the creature would bump into objects, that would be his window to keep on going, and he did keep on going, swimming and hiding more and more until climbing up to what looks like a dock like area after narrowly escaping the creature when it tried to hold down a sack that he was bringing up to use to jump across, he had a glimpse of it's arms, long and lanky and wrinkly with a odd grey like tinge to it like it was old and decaying but still somewhat alive, was it like the janitor then too? he grumbles slightly, before getting a idea, grabbing a few fish like parts and throwing to the other side, and quickly making his way across, once again narrowly avoiding the creature as he climbs onto land once more, quickly running away before stopping for a moment and sitting down, panting slightly "l...lord..." he shivers slightly, shaking himself as he does a few tricks, before jumping on over to a door and pushing it open, and froze upon seeing a room partly flooded in water.  
  
".....WHY?!" he grunted before quickly diving into the water and climbing up onto land, and pulling down a lever as he looks and sighs with relief as the water was draining itself all the way down to the bottom, the other rubbing his eyes "oh thank god." he says quietly, before hearing the sounds of something moving underneath, possibly the creature moving to a more deeper part of the water now that this room was drained of water, slowly climbing his way down he looks around the room, seeing everything was tied down to prevent it from floating upwards, seeing another door as he pushes it open after unlocking the pot and narrowly escaping another leech, making his way to another room and quickly climbing onto a ladder away from the leech as he shivers slightly, whimpering a bit, silently cursing if he had to go through another swimming segment he'll quit his whole escape plan all together... should we tell him now or later??? later?? okay.  
  
\---

after once again arriving in a room where a puzzle had to be done, he took his time, but sped it whenever he had to go to the water, after a while he got the feeling and solved the puzzle, smiling slightly before he twitches a bit, feeling like that was a bit too easy. Never the less he hops from box to ledge as he makes it to the next room, looking around after making it through what seemed to be a shower like room, before once again seeing more water, twitching slightly as he inhaled and exhaled slightly.   
  
Once again he froze upon seeing the creature, seeing it’s head and face looking like a old woman, shivering slightly as he gulps, looking around before he once again does what he normally does, swimming from cover to cover to avoid getting caught by the creature, which was supposedly the granny if he recalled from the pictures he saw of a woman that looked similar to that creature.

Running and jumping from a platform to platform to avoid getting grabbed onto by the granny as it seemed to be getting more quicker, and angrier as it kept trying to grab at him, seven shivering as he keeps getting away every time he was almost caught by the other, making a mad dash after jumping onto a small boat to land by swimming as fast as he can, breathing slightly as he climbed onto land, shaking slightly as he wastes no time in starting climbing all the way up to get away from the granny, shaking slightly as he hops over a gap, landing onto a platform as he pants slightly, laying down on a bed for a moment as he takes a breather, never having been so afraid in his life of the water, gulping slightly before noticing another water like puzzle as he frowns, sighing heavily as he rubs his forehead, before hopping into the water, quickly doing the puzzle which was most likely raising the water level once again.

and indeed it was like that, raising the water level first to grab a crane, and lowering the water level to put the crane, and quickly running through and sliding under a door that closed the moment he arrived into the room, panting slightly before turning on his flashlight, seeing a door as he huffs a bit, before coming over and pushing the door down, seeing it fall to the water as it acted like a platform, jumping onto the door as he glanced over and froze upon seeing the granny sitting in a chair, seemly perking up and diving into the water the moment the door was on the water.

–––

if he thought the granny was terrible now, he was in for a worst surprise as it was now repeatedly trying to get to him in a agitated state, roaring in anger as it tried bringing down various objects that seven jumped onto, the other shaking as he keeps trying to get farther away before hoping onto a platform that showed a TV connected to a plug, he glanced over and froze upon seeing the granny attempting to bring down the platform he was on “no! No bad granny!” Seven yelled, backing up “I am NOT going in the water with YOU” he said, as the granny snarled slightly trying to bring it down further.

Seven looks around for a way to stop the granny, shaking slightly before he perks up, glancing over and seeing the TV, and getting a idea as he quickly goes over to it, attempting to push it as he desperately tries to do it, the granny roaring in anger before Seven finally pushed the TV down, as the entire area was electrified, the granny roaring out and screaming in pain, Ya know those like. Cartoony screams that Tom makes in that very old cartoon show tom and Jerry? That was what the granny sounded like as it screamed loudly in pain, before dripping deeper to the water before nothing was left but a big puddle of blood...

He sighs in relief, resting back down onto the wood as he breathed slightly, rubbing his forehead “oh thank god... thank freaking god.” He said, before hopping onto the tv, and jumping into another room, never being so happy to be on land, quickly going around and starting to climb onto a really really tall ladder, eventually climbing onto a new floor, never being so happy to get away from the depths as he grinned “oh thank god...” he says, before he freezes upon seeing rats running away 

He perked up, backing away slightly upon seeing a pair of long arms, he quickly turns around and begins to run, but yelps as he gets grabbed by the long arms, the janitor pulling him into the darkness, he groans slightly as hours later he slightly awoke to find himself in a cage with other children, he glanced over, seeing the girl in the yellow-raincoat sitting in a fetal position, he yelps as the janitor’s arms grabbed onto his cage, and slowly pulled him away from the others, going back into blackness again as he fainted, still struggling to try to escape before going completely limp, exhausted from all the running he did against the granny as he twitches a bit, feeling something being wrapped around him as it was too dark to see, before he goes back to being in a unconscious state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long arms mcgee has captured the child, F.


	8. The Hideaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After escaping a small body bag and awakening in a engine room, Seven continues to traverse into the maw, but only by understanding the nomes will he have a chance to get out. It is time to uncover the truth about the nomes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im really- REALLY glad to be writing the nomes again, the little guys are so cute and fun to write ;;;;;

When he awoke, it was very tight, he couldn’t move at all, he started hyperventilating as he struggles to break free, ripping open the sack he was in as he screams, falling down from the sack and onto a few boards, clinging onto them before yelping as he falls to pile of coal, landing onto the black rocks with a thud, not even moving for a moment as something smaller than him waddled out of hiding, along with two more as the three nomes surrounded the unconscious boy, all three of them tilting their heads slightly, before Seven awakens, with the nomes yelping and scurrying away.

Seven huffs softly, rubbing his forehead as he looks around, blinking slightly as he coughs a bit “ugh.... dang... my back...” he said slightly, looking around “where... am i... in some sort of coal room?” He asked himself, looking around as he checks to see if his flashlight works, sighing in relief when it does, smiling a bit before looking around “alright.... let’s see what we got..” he said slightly, beginning to walk forward. Hearing a squeak and something running away as he shines his light in a instant, his eyes widening before seeing nothing there, blinking before he sighs slightly, looking around and walking further, using the light as a way to see.

He keeps on walking, exploring this new room, he perks up upon seeing someone there “u-uh! Hey! Hey wait could-“ he yelps as the small door closed on him, backing up before frowning “aw... dang it.” He says, looking around before shrugging “sod it...” he said, walking to the next room Over as he looks around, seeing a lot more coal than he thought there was, blinking slightly “how many people does it take to operate this place....?” He says quietly to himself, looking around before seeing a nome running off, he yelps at what the strange creature is before going after it “h-hey! W-wait up!!!” He stops when he sees one nome getting through, another nome rushed past him, the nome get itself stuck in a crack, making several squeaks as it thrashed about as seven covers his mouth, trying not to laugh before he goes over “hey there little fella don’t worry I ain’t gonna harm ya.” He says, pulling the nome out as it flops to the ground, before it starts quivering and shivering.

”aw... hey don’t worry... I ain’t gonna hurt you little dude..” he said, the boy gently knelt down and hugged the nome as the other perked up slightly, chitterling quietly when it was put down “see little fella...? I ain’t gonna hurt ya...” he says, smiling a bit before it squeaks slightly, as Seven glanced over to the closed door, wondering how to get past it, before he picks the nome up, getting a idea “get ready to catch that handle little fella.” He says, throwing the nome at the door as it grabs onto the handle, the door opening as seven goes in, the nome dropping down and following suit, he notices another nome running off, he picks up the one he saved and threw it over the box as it squeaks, landing as it waddles around in place before going back to following Seven when he climbed over.

–––

The boy keeps looking around, picking up the nome and throwing it to the lever as it pulls it, the door opening as he and the nome rushed through, seven perks up when he sees another nome running off, glancing around to see where he was, he holds the flashlight up as he notices a drawing of nomes, along with a boy and a girl and the ever watching eye, blinking slightly “....disturbing.” He says, glancing over to a suitcase before he and the nome pushed the heavier object away, the two crawling into a darker room that must act as a safe area for the nomes he might assume? Looking around as he sees more drawings on the wall and on the floor, unsure of what they mean.

He keeps walking, with him and his new friend coming out of another hole, looking around before he sees one of the nomes in a cage on a table, looking around as he noticed a overturned filing cabinet, going on over and opening it up as he perks up upon seeing another nome, the other hiding as he went over to the scared nome, and hugged it also, gently placing it down as it squeaks in confusion, before it sees it’s other nome friend and perks up, squeaking as the two nomes jumped up and down at eachother in a excited manner as seven watches, glancing up as he had to find a way to get the other nome down here... hm...

He gently picks up and throws both nomes to the table “you see that suitcase? Can you two push it down for me to get on? I’ll get your friend out of there!” He claims, as the two nomes glanced to eachother, before waddling to the suitcase and pushing it down, with seven getting and climbing onto the table as he opens the cage, and hugs the nome before it could run, the other nome making a squeak in confusion “it’s alright little buddy. I ain’t gonna hurt you” he says, gently placing him down the table, as the three nomes were all together, the three of them hopping around and squeaking in joy as seven watched, smiling as the moment reminded him of mono and rainy and himself, frowning slightly before he hops off the table “think we can get that door open guys?” He asks, with the nomes perking up, and going over to the said door and started pushing it, with seven coming along and pushing it with them.

The door gets open, with seven and his three little nomes friends walking up the stairs as he looks around, everything seems quiet so far, but that could change in a instant he assumes, the four getting into another room as the three nomes seemly rushed ahead of him, with the other perking up and tilting his head, walking over and seeing the giant furnace as he sees a fourth nome pointing to a lever, humming “if I wanna get their trust... might as well help them fire up the furnace...” he says quietly, before going over and hopping onto the handle, pulling it down as the furnace seemly awakens with a mighty roar almost, the nomes rushing out to grab coal and to come back, putting the coal into the hatch of the furnace.

–––

The boy perks up, understanding what to do, if he could find more of these nomes, perhaps they’ll show him the way out of here, it was far-stretched, but how hard can it be to find a whole lot of nomes??... well turns out... it’s quite hard as he’ll soon learn. He goes deeper into the darkness, noticing broken glass as he avoids them... since ya know, he doesn’t have shoes on, he freezes upon seeing the janitor roam around as the other gulps slightly, quietly but quickly making his way to the other side to avoid getting caught by the long armed creature, muttering something underneath his breath as he makes it to the other side after a bunch of running, dodging, and climbing and jumping as he climbs onto some opened lockers and such, wondering why he’s even here in a room like this in the first place.

He keeps looking around, rubbing his head slightly as he blinks “where oh where could a nome be.... hm...” he shrugs slightly, as he moves deeper and deeper he eventually finds himself in a room with a lot of fuses, looking around as he perks up, he did noticed a elevator shaft just before he was avoiding the janitor, smiling a bit “ah... right some of them must be higher up!” He stated, looking around before picking up a fuse “alright... but how do I get back now...?” It does take a bit and a lot of careful movement and such but he was able to bring the fuse back without getting caught by the janitor, smiling slightly in joy as he sighs in relief, placing the fuse into the empt slot that powers on the elevator shaft after taking out the ones that weren’t working properly.

The power gets turned on to his relief, smiling slightly as he looks around further, before getting onto the shaft as it lifts him above, the door opening as he perks up, seeing three more nomes as they quickly ran off “hey! Wait!” He calls out, frowning shortly after before he grunts, getting off the shaft and going after the little critters “come back it’s fine I won’t hurt you!” He says, groaning slightly as he goes to see where the nomes went, arriving in another office like room, glancing over to the far left corner of the room as he sees one nome on a table, drawing onto the wall as he blinks, looking around for the other nomes “huh.... where are the other three...?” He asks himself, looking around more before getting lucky with finding one in a office cabinet, two actually! He yelps as he had to chase one around the box “come on!!! This ain’t funny!” He says, before tricking the nome by going the other way “gotcha!”

The nome yelps before it gets hugged by seven, the little critter squeaking slightly before it was placed down by Seven “alright... now for your friend... wherever he went...” he says quietly, looking around for the other nome, he frowns upon seeing the second nome hiding in the corner, trembling slightly as Seven came over, gently hugging it “shh... it’s alright little guy... it’s okay” he says, with the nome perking up and squeaking in confusion as it was gently placed down “ya see little guy? I ain’t a bad guy, I’m a friend” he says, stroking it’s cheek as it squeaks, kicking It’s own foot as seven chuckles “heh,,, little cutie you bunch are” he says, before eventually getting onto where the other nome was, and hugging that one too as it perks up, squeaking in surprise before it was placed down with the rest of it’s friends, the nomes all squeaking slightly as they hopped around. Seven watches while smiling softly, before wondering if there was another one around here, humming lightly “where could the other one be..”

–––

It was a bit troublesome but he managed to not let it bother him, he finds another one of these odd bottles with something as he placed them into his pocket, not sure what to do with them but, might as well open as many as he can, eventually going down after not finding another one, but it seems like three was the magic number as the three nomes hopped onto the lever and kept the door open until Seven pushed a box under it, keeping it slightly opened as he and the three nomes went into the elevator shaft, going back down to where the furnace was.. of course before he and his nome friends helped freed another nome that was in a box after seeing another nome that was here pointing at it, after freeing the nome as it quivers on the ground, the boy quickly went to hugging it as he places it down "come on little guy, let's bring you and your friends back to the others" he says, eventually getting back to the furnace as he watched the four nomes joining the four other nomes into pulling coal into the furnace.  
  
"okay... that was four... and there's four there... so that makes 8 nomes so far...." he ponders slightly, wondering ".. how many more do i need to get...?" he wonders to himself, thinking of where to go now to look for any other nomes, noticing a ladder as he perks up "...oh...! didn't notice that before" he says quietly, before climbing onto the ladder, looking to see which door or room to go to first "hm..." he first climbs over a small gap, noticing that this was a coal room, or rather the room above where all the coal below was "ah... gonna keep this spot in mind when i come back here..." he says, before climbing back out and looking around for anywhere else to go, before going to another ladder and climbing onto that one, getting a bit higher as he looks around for anywhere else to go, humming lightly as he finds some stairs, going up them as he arrives in a wide room, finding a box of painted doll like heads as he blinks, staring at them.  
  
"....spooky." he says, blinking slightly, before finding some weak boards as he perks up, before jumping up and down onto them before falling to the floorboards underneath, yelping before he freezes upon hearing the doors opening, glancing over and seeing the janitor's shadow as he quickly covers his mouth and went to where it couldn't grab him, shaking slightly before he starts to move away, climbing over some wood to the next room, of course hearing the other door open as he didn't need to see to know that the janitor was here now too. grumbling softly as he climbs up, stepping onto the cloth as he perks up, that's right,,,, the janitor cant hear you when your walking on the cloth, perking up as he had a way to stay quiet, but why did he come in here the first place if just for this...? maybe a nome was around here? jumping over a box and landing on the cloth he makes his way underneath a small grate to seeing a valve over there, before he sees the janitor coming over to inspect this room too, he grunts, before perking up as he notices a sawing tool and gets a idea.  
  
He waits until the janitor wasn't looking... well at his direction as he quietly makes his way around, going onto the cloth and picking up a object as he makes it to the other side of the room, noticing a prototype thing of a nome standing on the table that the janitor was working on, perking up and pushing the button as a loud noise ran about, quickly running back to the valve as the janitor was hissing, wondering what that noise was as Seven quickly started turning the valve over and over, before seeing what seems like doors to a basement were opening, with no time to waste he jumps RIGHT into it, sliding down all the way to another room all together as he falls onto a pile of dolls and toys, blinking as he looks around, finally having his heartbeat steadying up as he takes a deep breathe, not seeing any signs of the janitor now, looking around to see what he had to do now, seeing a ladder, and a hanging cart, before perking up and grinning.  
  
\---  
  
After finding three more nomes, one after chasing around a mine-cart for a VERY long amount of time and after hugging it, another having to flush out another one out of a machine AND ALSO chasing it around the cart for a longer amount of time, and hugging that one as he panted slightly "jesus... you guys are freaking fast." he says, after throwing the other to the other one, he does find another one after lowering down a cart and pushing to a room he had to force open, he finds the said nome on top of a shelf above a table as it took him a bit to figure out how to get it, before jumping up and down, and watching the jar breaks as the nome waddles away, and gets hugged by seven as he once again had three little friends with him, using the cart to burst open a door, and getting all three nomes down onto the hatch and making them fall to the coal room below, he joins them as he sees three more nomes joining the others in making the furnace run.  
  
He had to cover his ears upon hearing it roar loudly the more coal was put in as the 12 nomes kept piling coal after coal in, going onto a odd looking elevator thing as it was lifting him up, the other watching the nomes working as he was brought all the way up, getting off as he glanced over, seeing that the coal was going into another furnace as he blinks "huh.... neat." he says slightly, before looking around the room and exploring the next opened area over, eventually finding his way into a dumpster, and into a little bedroom as he looks around, blinking slightly as he jumps down, going over to the suitcase and attempting to pull it "aaargh.. c..come on... pull!" he coughs shortly after, rubbing his mouth, all that running had finally took it's toll onto him, huffing softly, maybe it was all that coal dust that got into him, rubbing his eyes before he perks up, hearing a familiar chitter as he glances over, seeing a nome come out "oh! hey there little guy! don't ru-" he perks up as he stops, seeing two more nomes showing up, reconizing them as the three he originally saw at first, and stared in awe as they went on over to the suitcase, seeing two more showing up as he perks up "woah..."  
  
He watches as the five nomes and himself all pushed the suitcase, as the nomes all went into the crack, with seven following as he perks up at a surprising sight, several nomes were all there, watching and getting warmed by the fire, but that wasn't all, he stares at their shadows, and froze upon realizing what it was.... children.... the nomes's shadows were children, staring in shock as he looks at each of them, staring at one shadow that reminded him of the girl he saw trying to escape, he shivered slightly, walking slowly around as he stared at each shadow, his eyes wide as he shivered "w...what... what happened to all of you...." he says quietly, glancing over to see one of the nomes, the one with the girl's shadow was following him "i...is that what happened to you after you lost this...?" he asks, holding up the flashlight "h...how did you... g..get turned into a nome...?" he asks, shaking almost.  
  
The Nome seemly didn't response to him, or couldn't figure out how to response, as it tilts it's head slightly, Seven frowning slightly as he sighs "im... im sorry this happened to you... i cant take you with me... you understand that right...?" he asks, as the Nome seemly nods it's head "...alright.... im sorry.... and.. t...thanks.. for helping me... i hope you and everyone else will be alright.... goodbye." he says, gently hugging the nome slightly, as he gently places it down, and started climbing up, walking away into a grate as he looks back, seeing all the nomes were waving at him, he smiled sadly and waved back, sighing a bit as he turns his flashlight off, frowning a bit "damn.... those poor kids...." he says to himself, stopping at the end as he rubs his forehead "...where the heck do i go now..." he says quietly, before freezing upon hearing the sounds of something being lifted up... was he on a elevator?! he slowly looks down, seeing that someone was using it, he could barely get a glimpse of who it was though, unaware that a certain lady slowly looked up through her mask's sockets, seemly seeing the runaway kid on top of the elevator, the two unawarely staring at one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, almost over already? that's a shame.


	9. The Residence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fate of the runaway kid is decided by a unwordly force beyond our control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shall we tell him now or later that he's fucked???

He didn't know how long he's been asleep for, yelping as he wakes up with a gasp, shaking and panting as he clutched his own chest, looking around with a surprised look, before calming down slightly as he looks around "god... how long have i been out for..." he says quietly, before grunting as he starts climbing up, and swinging over a odd rope before jumping through a small grate, looking around as he perks up at the familiar sound of a nome, smiling as he shines his flashlight, looking over "hey there little fella." he says, before watching the other run off, shrugging a bit as he makes it to a crack, going under it as he froze upon seeing he was on a book-shelf, staring as a couple of books went down as he looks around "wait... where... am i....?" he asks himself slightly, looking around in surprise before he climbs down the shelf, going onto the rug as he looks around, walking around the room, glancing over and perking up upon seeing some pictures of a lady in a japanese styled outfit, blinking ".....is that what the lady looked like before this outbreak started... i much rather perfer that one then the current one, thank you very much."   
  
He says quietly, walking around as he hears the sound of music, blinking as he tilts his head slightly, crouching down as he slowly follows to where the sound is coming from, peeking over as his heartbeat rise, seeing the lady staring at something in her hand, seemly stroking it, perhaps one of the dolls, and a odd music box was playing next to her, seemly almost unaware that someone else was here, to which Seven was glad for that, quietly walking pass to the next room, and froze upon seeing how big the whole are is, blinking as he looks around "woah...." he says quietly, looking around as he keeps walking slightly, perking up as he hears nome and follows the sound, arriving in what seems to be a odd room with a broken statue of the lady, perking up as he thinks for a moment as he sees a closed door and then glancing back to the lone statue, and glancing over at some other odd looking tiles that seemly look out of place "hm... i wonder.... mono's dad told me that some houses have secret passages unlocked by doing certain things... hm.... i wonder...." he looks around, perhaps he should try to find one of these statues... but where to look first?   
  
retracing his steps he makes his way upstairs in the residence as he goes to a opened room, noticing another statue of the lady and seeing a similar eye, blinking as he gets a idea he shouldn't be touching that... at least not yet "hm... gotta find something to replace that other statue with.. i wonder if there's a decoy or something of similar weight to it...?" he talks to himself quietly, he knows the nomes were around as they could most likely hear him, so at least he wasn't going FULLY crazy... not yet anyway, walking out of the room and making his way to another library like area as he notices a ladder, thinking as he slightly moves it to the left and starts to climb onto it, pushing a book down and climbing down the shelf, picking up the book and thinking on the broken face "hm... of course if one of the statues are broken it'd not be good for the passage... but how do i get it off...?" he wonders to himself, before glancing to the book he was holding "ah..... make a path... i think..." he says, placing the book by the pillar that held the broken statue, before he starts going up again, and going back down until he puts down enough books so that he wouldn't have to worry about getting it, if he cant get the one by the eye, might as well look for other ones to get, but also to get more clues on how to solve this....  
  
Going back upstairs as he climbs onto a ladder, noticing a odd contraction, thinking for a moment before he goes to the lever and pulled it down, seeing some lights on the odd structure opening up, he glances over to the other lever on the machinery, and gets a small idea, going on over to it and pulling it, watching as one of the light shines in on one of those eyes, closing it up, but seeing the other two not so closed, thinking as he smiles a bit, and started pulling the lever and having the machinery move the lights around until all three lights were shining onto the three eyes, but nothing seemed to happen, blinking slightly "....oh come on." he grunts, before noticing another door with a similar eye, and glancing on over to his flashlight "....if this works i should of done this with the flashlight from the start." he said quietly before shining the flashlight onto the eye on the door and blinks rapidly when the eye closes and the door opens, grinning slightly before comes in and freezes upon seeing a huge horde of statues of the lady.  
  
\---  
  
"....." he was about to turn around to leave all together but, he sighed, grunting "...sod it. gotta get out of here somehow..." he says, grunting before he slowly walks further into the room housing all these statues of the lady, before he freezes upon seeing... a whole... WHOLE lot of pictures as he froze a bit, taking a deep breath "okay.... okay... they're just... pictures... no need to get scared..." he says slightly, taking a deep breath before he passes by that room, and arrives in another room with seemly less pictures, and showing buttons on the bottom of them, thinking as he hums "hm...." he noticed some of the pictures in the other room were lit up so....  
  
He goes by one by one a certain amount of pictures on with the buttons until he made a correct pattern, grinning slightly as he hears something opening, and goes through it, and instantly feels a odd chilly silent as all the hairs on his body stood up, before he notices a statue lying on the table, perking up as he grins, going on over and picking up the statue "thank god..." he says, before yelping and instantly hiding behind the table as he feels the surging pain in his body from the familiar eye that turns people to stone, shivering and shaking slightly.  
  
"FFFFFFU-" he covers his mouth slightly, winching through the pain as he grunts, before taking his time, and when it was just about over with, he rushed out of the rooms, taking the statue with him and having to go through the statue room with no light, afraid that the lady would jump out at any moment, he froze upon seeing something for a split second, before seeing it was nothing "..m...maybe it was just my mind playing t...tricks on me...." he says quietly to himself, grinning a bit before he shakes his head, hurrying on out of the room and all the way downstairs and placing the statue onto a tile, perking up as a pillar rose up, grinning slightly "good... alright now to-" he turns back around and notices the makeshift piles of books he put to get the broken statue were gone, and saw they were nowhere to be found ".......god.... fucking damn it." he grunts lightly, rubbing his forehead, something tells him that this is just the beginning of a long day.... or was it night?  
  
He goes back upstairs and freezes upon seeing the books he used, were now back on the floor in the library he moved the ladder in, blinking before noticing some empty shelves, and thinking that the nomes might of been helping him... somehow. he shrugs lightly but puts the said books in empty slots, noticing the ones with different shapes as he places them back in the right order... after some mishaps, perking up as he sees a secret passage in a book shelf, pushing it open like a door as he arrives in a rather quiet area of the library... noticing a fake statue on the table as he perks up, getting a idea as he grins, quickly going over and getting it and rushing all the way back to where he saw the other statue that had the eye like trap on it.  
  
\---  
  
after freezing upon hearing a huge clock timer going off, thinking that the lady would show up, he quickly rushed over to the room where he saw the statue standing in a eye trap, quickly putting the fake statue in place of the real statue after swapping it out and sighed in relief when nothing happened "oh thank god... that means only one more to go..." he says, grinning slightly as he walks back downstairs... of course after waiting to see if the lady would show up, sighing in relief when he realized he could still hear the music box placing the statue on one of the odd tiles and perks up with another smile as a pillar opens up, before freezing as he sees the lights dimming for a moment "oh... oh no." he looks around, gripping his flashlight like it was a weapon as he couldn't hear the music box anymore, and saw a odd shadow running by, freezing when he saw it was a odd child made out of shadows, wearing a odd looking mask.  
  
he shines his flashlight onto it, the being seemly fading into nothing but that mask as it falls to the ground, the other panting slightly, as he goes to where he had saw the lady, only to find no one there, but a small swarm of shadow kids waiting for him, he quickly burns them into nothingness with his flashlight, making sure none of them got a single hold of him, shaking slightly when he looks around, expecting more to pop up, but sighed in relief, going over and gently picking up a key as he shivers slightly "okay... okay... where do i put this now...?" he says quietly, not sure if there WAS anyone else besides the nomes that could hear him, having to be extra careful now.  
  
turning on some lamps to give him a bit of comfort from not having to constantly shine his flashlight on any remaining shadow kids, he tries to see where this key would fit into, going all the way back upstairs as he sees a lock, slowly and carefully putting it into the door as he unlocks the door, carefully and very quietly opening it as he gulps slightly, going in to find himself in a darker room, using his light to ward off any shadow kids that he sees while looking for the statue, shivering slightly, having to get rid of A LOT of them as he opens up another door after pulling a chair close enough to it, once again having to get rid of even MORE of them as he keeps going deeper, shaking slightly as he grips onto his flashlight, he didn't know how the flashlight was still able to work but he was happy for it, taking a deep breath as he keeps going.  
  
Climbing into and through a book-shelf he drops onto a rug, climbing onto more shelves and making his way onto a stiff board and near the balcony or rather a higher floor of the room he's in, not seeing any more shadow kids as he takes a sigh in relief, that was until he had climbed down a ladder and arrived in another room, seeing another shadow kid forming as he turns on his flashlight making it melt into nothing, shining it on another behind him, and then another to the corner of him, shaking and taking a deep breath "okay... your okay.... just a little bit more and you'll have this whole place be put in the past. just gotta keep going, and keep running.. that's what mono always told me.. just keep running, and never stop..." he says quietly, looking for the last statue since that was most likely why he was here in this room in the first place, and why the lady must be sending all of these shadow kids after him... at leash he thinks it's the lady, not knowing that she still doesn't realize that he's even here.  
  
\---  
  
It took ages but he was finally able to find the statue... or well the final room that the statue could be in, after fighting off more shadow kids and traversing deeper after pulling a lever that opened another door, and after running into that said door after fighting off more and more shadow kids, while he was looking for the statue he had found himself in a more quieter room near a piano as he turns his flashlight off, not seeing any-more signs of the shadow like kids, and finding another bottle, he didn't know how many bottles there were but he just felt like collecting them for some reason, though it did calm him down a bit from the danger around him for a small moment.  
  
he keeps looking around to see where the statue might be, before he glanced to a odd looking silver replica of the top of the maw, before slowly opening it and perking up when he sees it's the statue, grinning as he picks it up "oh thank freaking god..." he says quietly, looking around for any sign of danger "okay... okay... time to get back to the other statues as fast as i can... almost home-free" he says, shining the light on another door that has a eye, grinning as it opens up, with seven now rushing back to downstairs as he places the statue down, smiling more brightly as all pillars were up as the door opens, slowly walking in before seeing what looks to be a broken mirror "...huh...?" he quietly says to himself, looking around before he finds even more broken-mirrors, why would the lady break her own mirrors??? blinking slightly as he hears his own heartbeat, shaking as he crouches, gulping as he peeks over from a angle where the lady couldn't see him, and froze upon seeing the reason why so many mirrors were broken.  
  
He sees the lady staring at her own reflection in a mirror that wasn't broken, only it wasn't her beautiful face that stared back at her, it was something else, in her reflection was her true face, old, ragged, haggard, distorted, and like the granny in a way. quietly sneaking by as he clutched his own heart, taking a breather quietly as he shakes his head, gotta keep going, gotta keep pushing forward- he freezes when he steps on a board, gulping as he hears the lady's gasp, glancing as he sees her nearly looking at him ",,,uhm,,,,,,, b,,,beautiful r,,reflection m,,,miss,,,?" he covers his ears when the lady lets out a distorted shriek, all the lights breaking and such as he shivers, opening his eyes to see that it was all dark as he gulps, crouching, before he shakes his head, no more time to be sneaky, grunting as he starts bolting it.  
  
He was not going to get killed today! not today!! running further and further, hearing footsteps or drums slightly as he keeps running more and more, getting confused and lost as he clutched his chest, panting slightly as he shivers slightly, running more and more, looking around before finally seeing a crack in a doorway, perking up and smiling in joy "yes,,,, yes! freedom!" he says quietly, bolting to the door, before he screams as he was forced to the ground by a unknown force, feeling a surging pain through his body, whimpering and coughing as he was brought up, glancing over and freezing upon noticing that it was the lady doing this, he struggles whimpering and shaking, pleading slightly as tears started streaming down his eyes "n-no! p-please! i-im sorry!! i-i didn't mean to i-" he screams further as the lady moves her arms, the other crying out in pain before everything fell to black.  
  
\---  
  
It was dark, so very very dark for him, looking around as he froze a bit, he was... he was still alive! but... something felt off, he was lighter, smaller, looking around, he still apparently had his cuff chain on his leg, but he noticed he was a little... whiter than usual, almost grey, he looks around more, shivering slightly as he couldn't see very well what... what happened to him?! he tried to speak, but all that came out was a familiar squeak like noise, the one that the nomes make. he froze upon realizing what happened, the lady. she turned him into a nome.  
  
shivering slightly, he could probably still get out! maybe find a way to reverse this! running through the small crack as he looks around, shaking slightly 'i can still get out... i can still get out...' he tries to jump to the board but falls deeper down, he shivers, slightly 'no.... no no no.. please... maybe... maybe there's another way out' he thought to himself, going forward as he shivers slightly, he wasn't gonna remain trapped on here, no he wasn't,,, he keeps going down deeper and deeper, jumping off and noticing he was near the guests, freezing more before gulping, maybe there's another way...  
  
He gets off, waddling on off, making sure that the guests didn't see him as he keeps walking more and more, passing through a small gap in the door as he keeps waddling, looking around 'please.. there's got to be a way out there just had to be...' noticing the elevator that would lead back to the lady's quarters, shivering slightly before he keeps walking off, not wanting to deal with her again, passing through another crack and freezing upon seeing a mess of guests asleep, he looks to a small hole and quickly hops into it, jumping down and fitting through another crack, looking around before freezing at what he sees..  
  
he sees other nomes around him, as he started walking, frowning slightly despite no longer having a mouth, he messed up. if he hadn't seen the lady's face then he would of been scott free... he watched as two nomes rushed away from him, going to another room as he watches another one running away too, freezing up as he keeps walking, before slowly walking up to one lone sausage, staring down onto it, not doing anything as he looks around, freezing slightly upon hearing a small whimper, tilting his head slightly as he notices the same girl he saw on the boat, and where he gave her his lighter a long time ago, and seeing her by the cage. he stared slightly, unsure of how to response, but just gently picked up the sausage, and held it up to her, with no expression on his face... not that he had one anyway, maybe he could help her again... just like how she helped the others....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sure you all can guess what happens next :)


	10. Beginning Of The Shadow Eater

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as of course, the fifth and seventh child's stories are over, we are now coming upon to see how the sixth child's story began, let us see the start of the shadow eater herself, Six. let's find out what her take was on the whole outbreak...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> perhaps the moment and the story you all were waiting for, hope the wait was worth it, I will be adding one part of the comic to the main story's game line since the rest of the comic here shall be used for six's backstory, and of course my own writing of everything, so uh,,, yeah! also her power is revealed in this! it's not like the lady's power as you all might suspect but I believe that it's something completely different but kinda similar to the lady's own powers. also- since I like- wanna have my six be like- a mixture of like- clementine, Eleven, and Ellie like- and because it's my au and I wanna expand more with what she dealt with, I believed that she did have someone caring for her when the outbreak started before being trapped in the nest and later on taken by the reaper, of course being a reference to the walking dead cause like- one of my early drafts for the au was like going to be similar to the telltale walking dead game, sooo,,, yeah-

"six...? six baby, it's Veronica, I... I don't know how long it's been since I tried to message you but, something... something really dangerous happened, nobody's letting us leave here, and they won't tell us what's happening with the world but, I hope your safe... call the police okay sweetie? it's 9-1-1 okay? I love you my little star, you hear me? I love you.... please be safe." The message ended as the man frowned slightly as he looks over a picture, showing two girls in it, one that is dressed like a geisha, and the other is dressed pretty normally, showing a much more older man with a mop in hand, waving while holding the girl in the picture, the man that was looking at the picture perked up when he heard the radio he was holding turning on after he heard the message end "Veronica?" the voice called out, it sounded quiet, and child-like as the man picked it up "hello...?"  
  
he asked, waiting for a reply "you need to be quiet." the voice on the radio said, with The man looking around, blinking slightly "are you okay?" he asked, as she responded to him "I'm ok. They tried to get me. But I'm hiding until my sister gets home." she stated, as the man looks around slightly, having a slight limp on his brown colored jeans, and blood stains on his green shirt and such. "what's your name?" he asks, as the girl replies with "Im Six, this is my house.. or uhm, Veronica's." she said, as the man softly smiled as he replied on the radio "hi Six, I'm Owen." he said, looking around slightly "Where are your parents?" he asked, as he blinks when she said "they're gone. it's been me and Veronica, she letted me stay here near the nest place while she worked, I think it's in bright city..?" she said, as Owen hums a bit, looking around "...are you safe?" he asked, before he relaxed when she responded "yeah, I am. I'm outside in my tree-house, they can't get in." she stated, with Owen smiling a bit  
  
"that's smart." he stated, as he blinks "see? can you see me? I can see you through the window." she claimed, slightly waving at him as Owen smiled a bit, waving back to her, before he hears her yelp and hid back in the tree-house, he blinked and snapped his head, yelping as a decaying rotting corpse appeared out nowhere and grabbed onto him, or tried to anyway, it looked just like a normal human, but very rotten and decayed, with pieces of skin removed and bone showing, the man grunts, pushing the creature back before shoving it to the kitchen floor as it snarls, Owen trying to run before he slips onto the huge stains of blood, causing him to fall and hit his head onto the stove, groaning as he was slightly dizzy for a moment, getting back into reality when he sees the creature coming towards him, he brings his foot and slammed it to the creature, kicking it away as it snarled in pain, he forced himself up, hearing a few cracks in his bad ankle as he grunts, before he turns around and starts to run, grunting as the creature grabbed onto his leg, causing him to fall down.  
  
he looked over and quickly punched the creature hard in the face, having it fall backwards as he started backing away while still attempting to get up, glancing to see the girl running down to the glass sliding door as she slid it open, Owen grunting as the creature crawled onto him, but he managed to get it and shove it away with another kick, he panted slightly before he grabs the hammer that she was holding, and slammed it onto the creature, the rotting corpse hissing before it shrieks as Owen slammed the hammer into it's head and brains several times, until it was nothing more than a gory mess, panting slightly as he drops the hammer, breathing slightly "man...." he said, glancing up "h...hi there..." he said, as Six glanced down to the dead body of the creature "...d...did you kill it...?" she asked, as he glanced down, panting before nodding slightly "...yes," he said, as she frowned a bit "i..it's okay,,, I think she was one of the monsters..." she said, as Owen nodded slightly "I think so too.."   
  
he said, before kneeling down in front of her "you've been.... all by yourself through this?" he asked her as the girl glanced over to the body of the dead creature before glancing back over and nodding "yeah... I want my sister to come home now." she said as the man frown, looking down a bit "i... think that might be a little while, you know?" he stated, with the other frowning a bit "o...oh" she said, before he came over to her "look, I don't know what happened.. but... I'll look after you until then" he stated, with the other blinking, nodding slightly "w..what should we do now..." she asked, before he frowns slightly, staring "...we need to look for help... before it gets dark... for now, stay close to me."  
\---  
  
Six was very young when the outbreak started, barely remembering what happened before those days, she was very young when her parents left her, having been killed by unknown means, and being captured by odd men in suits, with lab coats too. she was apparently bailed out by a nice lady that called herself Veronica, she was like a sister to her, and they were nearly twins. she mostly stayed on the maw, coloring and playing around, most people confused her and Veronica since they almost look the same but she had a few differences, mainly her hair, always having side-bangs, and having freckles around herself and different colored eyes, two rare colors actually, Purple and red. and she had oddly sharp teeth too, mostly having other kids be a bit afraid of her but she was like a little angel... most of the time anyway.  
  
There was another place she would be sent too when Veronica couldn't take care of her on most days, to a place that she likes to call The Nest, she would wait there on days upon end for Veronica, she liked playing games with the girl there called Penelope, hide and seek was her favorite, since she was very young though she rarely had any knowledge of the outside world, only with what she was known briefly. Rarely having any friends. When the out-break started she was away from the maw, still at the nest, for a time it was considered safe, having no knowledge of what was happening before the nest became a Hellscape, she survived there for 2 years nearly, being around 9 when she finally escaped, she didn’t know much about the outbreak but knew it had something to do with those weird eyes. She got attacked by the eyes when they came to infect the nest, only damaging her stomach slightly, which gave her severe hunger problems due to the damage made to her stomach. Which caused her to get hungry frequently for a certain amount of time.

Someone was with her for those two years before being in the nest. A man she called the guardian, or rather his actual name was apparently Owen, He was different then the rest, while the other adults and creatures wanted to kill and keep her trapped he was protecting her and teaching her far more better than anyone ever did, he was there for her in the end, when she had escaped the nest she found him. Infected by the eyes when he had tried to save her from the reaper, with his dying breath he made sure that they were far away from the city to where he gave her one last lesson on that day, to always keep moving, to keep that hair short, to stay away from the city, and that he’ll miss her. She had to put him down to prevent him from becoming like the creatures outside, that was her first actual ‘kill’ and she was shaken up by it. Shivering and whimpering slightly as she rubs her eyes, having been on her own after that. No Nora, or sister, or Owen. She was alone.

She was even more alone when out on one of her runs she was captured by the Hunter and taken to his shack, she escaped once, having to evade him for a while as she was almost scot free, Until.... she met a strange boy while running, he was just sitting on the tree branch, looking upset and tired underneath a paper bag like mask. The two had locked eyes together and she had felt a connection form, even when she was caught again by the Hunter, she knew that someday she would see him again. She was 9 when this happened, just about turning ten in a few more weeks when she was freed from the Hunter thanks to that paper bag boy, who called himself mono. She liked him, he made her feel safe. Even more safer than her music box, she wanted to make him feel safe too.

–––

For days on end she and mono had traveled together, for some days her problems were starting again but she had managed to keep them under-control, but it was more tame and comfortable when she was with mono, for some reason it made her felt less hungry and more warm, she didn't know emotions or feelings that well, but she could take a hint on what she was experiencing. Mono had promised her that he’d take her to a safe place, a place where the eyes didn’t touch and corrupt, a sanctuary for people like them. She liked that, her problems got worst when she was captured by the bullies, when they had saw the teacher she wanted to just, tear into her flesh, the feeling scared her a lot. But managed to control herself for that time being. She had felt urges to eat and kill for the whole time she was with mono, but kept hiding it in, wanting to hurt be herself, instead of a monster.

While they were walking they got to talking more and more, and found out that they both had a lot of common, both were orphans, and both were in a world they didn’t understand to a extend, she barely understood the outside world, while mono barely understood the new world too, it was at this time that she found nora’s raincoat too, and after some explaining, they kept moving to the hospital, mainly to fix up mono’s face, while in the hospital they had experienced a lot of stuff, from literal hands that were moving on their own, to a doctor so large that he was able to crawl onto the walls without breaking anything, She had to pretty much do everything to keep mono safe while they were there.

Speaking of the doctor, There was one time where she had to eat, so she had devoured the doctor, there had been almost nothing left but the fluids and remaining meat were enough to satisfy her for a while, she and mono had kept traveling, the reason why they were even going to the tower was because in order to make sure the eyes wouldn’t come after them, they’d have to shut down the tower, but while exploring his old house, she was captured by the thin man, and turned into something monstrous, she claimed to have not remember a single thing from it, but in reality she did, and she hated every second from it, from each hit mono did to the music box, she had a vision of what would of happen, that was when her hunger problems were really starting to kick in. She had to force herself to let him go at the end, not wanting to eat him alive...

She was alone again at that point, walking off to the way out, when she had came out, she saw that shadow remnant of herself, seemly pointing to a picture of the maw that read “come to the maw, where dreams come true and where you can be yourself, learn to let go and begin again.” The message reads, Six didint know what became of her sister’s restaurant at that point but she had to get there, but she also didn’t, a part of her wanted to go back to save mono, but she couldn’t. She was all alone.... for weeks and months she had to scavenge and such, by the time she was 11, guests were already returning to the city.... or well the safer parts of the city, she had to keep herself hidden from all of them as she traveled, but eventually she got caught.

–––

a large man twice the size of the guests stood there, staring down onto her, before she had perked up when he pointed at her, following by all the other guests, like they saw and noticed her, like she wasn’t supposed to be here, she shakes slightly, trembling before the two had froze when one of the guests was coughing up blood, she had turned around just in time to see one of them falling down, and then another. And another. And another, before all of the guests around them seemly fell down, their souls and such being taken away from them as where were they being taken too? six glanced over and froze upon seeing a taller man dressed in black looking robes, holding a scythe and having a skeleton like appearance, the reaper’s body glowed slightly as all of the guests were absorbed into it’s soulless body, as six trembled at the huge being, before glancing back to the large man, perking up when he had stopped pointing and gently held out a hand to her, as if asking her to take it.

Without anything else to do or live for, she sighed, gently taking the hand as the large man started leading her away from the reaper who was following them, and kept on following them until they had reached the docks, by the time one of the few rare moments that the sun came on, the reaper was still going after them, it melted a bit from the sun, as six was being placed into the boat, she looked over and froze upon seeing the reaper’s meting face, a plastered eerie smile was melted into the other’s face, as it tilted it’s head, watching the ferryman row away with six on the boat, it growled in annoyance, turning around and walking away shortly after as she sighs, before frowning, looking at some ropes as she clutched her stomach a bit.

she asked the large man to tie her up, to prevent her from hurting him too, he obliged, gently tying her up as she stood there on the end of the boat, letting the ferryman row her away, for a time she was asleep, only awake for a moment to see the large man picking up a newcomer that was a small boy, before going back to sleep yet again. when she had awoke, she had found herself in the maw, for a time she had to work there once again, hoping to see her sister once more, for a time attempting to escape from the chefs and such while trying to get something that she needed to clean with, she had met other kids like her, telling her their stories, and she told hers's, not a lot of it though, some memories were best left forgotten, and secrets were better left untold, some wondered what it was that she was hiding, but they soon enough caught the hint that she knew and was with the lady at one point, asking her if those were memories she wanted locked away, but she simply shook her head. the memories she didn't want to relive were the ones with mono, having huge guilt and trauma from that moment, she had killed him with her own two hands by dropping him down to the eyes's fate, she never forgave herself for that, her shadow would always whisper " **one chance..... one time, one chance to save him, after that... forget him.... forget the boy you left to die.** " but she never took that chance, believing it was simply her broken mind playing tricks on her.  
  
She didn't want to get attached again, so had to leave them, to avoid getting them killed by her, she had met that boy again that called himself seven, he had give her a lighter when her own flashlight no longer worked, that was the last she saw of him for a while, never knowing what became of him after that, there was also one of the creatures there that truly respected her, the bellman or as he liked to call himself, Michael. He was like a second Owen to her, teaching her about the ins and outs of the maw, and apparently told her what had happened here, the army did indeed make a safe-zone here, but the outbreak had reached it, although everyone does seem normal, it wasn't normal. her sister had become something she feared, and that everyone else had feared too, she still wanted to see her, just to try to knock some sense into her, that was when she had discovered her powers, they weren't like the lady's as one would of suspected but similar, while the only people to absorb souls and such were the lady and the reaper, she was able to absorb other people's shadows and their blood fluids in order to better survive when she was heavily malnourished and such, and when she was very hungry and couldn't find anything else to eat. for that reason she heard some of the kids calling her "The Shadow Eater."  
  
\---  
  
The name suited her, because whenever she ate, a shadow of herself would always watch, never doing anything besides sitting there and watching her eat. sometimes it would try to talk to her, sometimes she would try to talk back, but a conversation could never be started, never ever be started. she had stopped trying a long time ago to talk to people, rarely ever talking again, at one point she had found and broken a lot of statues of her sister in a silent anger tantrum after she did try to save mono, from trying to hook a tv but, it wouldn't work, in her rage she had destroyed all 18 of the lady's statues, finding a mask in one of them, that looked similar to the geisha, wearing it for a time to hide her face, to hide her own guilt.  
  
Of course that little tantrum had caused her to finally be exiled, along with the bellman, she had seen her sister but it was like she didn't recognize her anymore, she wasn't Veronica anymore, she was the lady. she was no longer that sweet, smart and caring woman but a shell of her former self. for that reason alone she wanted to get out of the maw, but she barely recognized anything here anymore, but still she had tried to reason with her, only to end with her getting sent to the bottom of the maw, and she had been kept there for so long due to a deep sleep that she didn't realize that this was all going to someone's plans....  
  
Elsewhere, deep outside the maw, in the outside, The Ferryman lumbered about, seemly searching for something as it kept walking, passing by bodies that have long since been turned to dust, glancing around and over as it noticed a young boy dressed in a purple jacket, who was climbing onto a few destroyed houses by some makeshift ladders, the boy had stopped and stared at the ferryman for a while, before seemly running off, The ferryman watching the boy for all that time, before it shook it's own head, slowly walking more and more, before finding the spot it was looking for. a cave system, lumbering around as he pulls out a old lantern that belonged to the hunter, searching around the cave with a small huff as it keeps walking.  
  
It eventually found what it was looking for, staring at a series of old cave paintings and such that seemed ancient, displaying three figures on there, a man, a woman and a spirit, with a huge white dragon in the frame of the picture, along with what seemed like a similar creature to the eyes, along with someone else that looked too human but had a... odd aura about them, there was a message written on the painting in a unknown language but the ferryman huffed, seemly understanding the message 'when all hope is lost, when the forsaken hero, the lady, and the spirit cannot break the cycle, awaken the guardian of light, awaken Isu, The First god of mortals to banish the demon and the master to destroy the cycle. only then will the world be once again pure.' the message reads, as the Ferryman rumbled slightly, staring at the message as the light dims out a bit, with the other seemly nodding, pulling out a book and writing it down slightly, seemly getting what it came for as it turns around, walking away from the cave as it huffed slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope ya'll like that,, little preview of the first chapter to the main au's story that I included at the end of this one, hue- of course I am in full agreement that the eyes are in control of everything but I went a small step further and wonder "what if the eyes are just a pawn, what if someone else is making this whole plan? and the eyes are just a decoy meant to ward off anything' what if it's someone in plain sight that causing the whole cycle to happen in the first place? who would it might be? well, that's for me to know and for you all to find out.


	11. The Prison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Waking up in a suitcase in the bowels of the maw, Six proceeds to start to make her escape, reliving some old memories and getting in trouble when her hunger is giving her away. And with that, she has to make sure that she doesn’t get caught by the janitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that like UHHH,,, ive been basically posting these non-stop- THAT IS MAINLY BECAUSE LIKE,,,, I WANNA LIKE,, GET TO THE AU’s MAIN STORY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I-,,,do not wAnNa like spent days upon days rewatching a playlist AS I’m writing up the character stories, still thinking if I should write in imp’s story or just do the main story all together and have imp’s story be explained after the first au’s main story arc? Let me know Zfjdjjdjdf

"...alright... it's safe, there's no one here." Owen stated, walking in as he hoisters his gun in his pocket, with six coming in slightly as she looks around, blinking slightly "...this place seems less broken, was someone here recently?" she asked as Owen shrugs, looking around "I'm not so sure. maybe... probably not anymore, everyone's trying to get out of here to get to the outside, heard that the army is planning on bombing the whole state to get rid of this outbreak" he said, looking around "and we do not wanna be here when it happened"

he stated, looking around as they started searching the house for any supplies and such, before eventually finding a garage and started to move around stuff when Owen saw something that catches his eye, Six was watching as she was thinking to herself, before staring up at him  
  
"Owen?" Six asked as she sat down, watching the man move around a few desks and such "do you have any kids?" she asked, with The other humming "... I'd like to someday, maybe a little girl like you" he said, smiling a bit as he patted her head "so yeah. I do have a kid, as of now" he said, chuckling a bit as he huffs "Alright.... now... how do we get to that car..." he asked himself, as beyond a door was a perfectly intact car, as Six hums lightly "I dunno,,, maybe we could find a key to open it" she suggested, as Owen hums "maybe... I didn't see one while on our way there.... maybe..."

He looked around more, opening the door "the door here is unlocked, the only thing that we need to get into that car are the keys, I rather not Hotwire it to attract the locals..." he stated, as Six giggled a bit "what does that word mean again?" she asked as Owen huffs, glancing over "it means to start up the car without a key... most of the time people do that when they're on the run... and even though technically we're on the wrong... we aren't stupid like they are. we're a team, and a team is smart."

–––  
  
He stated, with six nodding slightly "yeah, we stick together!" she said, smiling "I'm sure my sister's gonna thank you once we find her! she must be worried sick, the others might be too. I'm not sure how they're doing... I hope they're fine." she said, as Owen glanced over, gently patting her head "I'm sure they're all alright, plus you spent all that time in a tree-house warding off these things. I say they're probably as good as taking care of themselves as you are."

he said, patting her head more as she smiled slightly "yeah, your right." she stated, swinging her legs around as she looks around more "what did you work as before the monsters came?" she asked as Owen huffs, thinking for a moment "I was a professor at a university, going on my... 7th year I think..." he says as six blinks "7th year,,,? how old are you?" she asks as Owen chuckled "38, how old are you, I forgot to ask that." he said as six hums, thinking "7, I think

I'm turning 8 soon." she said, shrugging as Owen huffs "well if that's the case, then happy early birthday, our present? a ticket out of this city." he said, as Six giggled slightly "yeah. that'd be a sweet present, getting away from here." she said, as Owen nodded "yeah. let's just hope that this car has enough gas, the last time we went on foot we nearly got surrounded by a horde of walkers and viewers..."  
  
Owen hummed lightly, not sure of what to do herself as Six looks around, looking through the cabinets and such before she sees something shiny and picks it up, perking slightly "hey! hey Owen! look!" she said, grinning as she held up the key "there it is! how did we miss that?" he asked as he grabbed. the keys "our ticket out of here, we'll be at the maw in no time to find your sister Six." he said, patting her head as she smiled slightly "good! i....."

she suddenly blinked, feeling woozy as she started rubbing her head "six? what's wrong?" he asked, kneeling down and feeling her forehead as Six almost staggers, groaning a bit as Owen looks over "are you alright?" he asked, the other rubbing her forehead "i.... don't... know i..." she grunts, clutching her head slightly, her vision going dark, as she sees a odd shadow in the darkness, slowly turning towards her as it looked almost like a lady, wearing a mask with hollowed out eyes, and a blank face. the vision started shaking before the dream suddenly ended as it all faded away, before she lets out a loud scream.  
  
\---  
  
Six gasped loudly as she wakes up, looking around panting slightly before she found herself in a opened suitcase, staring as she shook herself slightly, the 12 year old looking around slightly as she calmed herself "....alright... alright.... it was just another nightmare..." she said to herself, it's been 4 years since she thought of her protector, Owen, and 3 years since she had thought of Nora, and only 2 when she thought of mono, frowning slightly as she rubbed her forehead, pulling her raincoat's hood up as she looks around, glancing to the mask she found after destroying all those statues, she found a lot of masks in her travels but the one that looked like a blank one seemed to fit her, placing the strap of the mask around her shoulder, she wouldn't wear it yet. only needing to wear it when she wanted too, plus there was no reason to wear it now.  
  
The Girl gets up from the suitcase, opening up the lighter that the boy in blue gave to her some-time ago, looking around as she frowned slightly "right... it's time to go." she said, huffing softly "I've been down here long enough..." she says quietly, staring to walk as she notices the same creatures she saw at the nest, the little nomes as she blinked, watching them run off as she went to a lantern, lighting it up as she rubs her eyes, looking around as she huffs softly, opening a hatch as she makes her way through a vent like area, climbing up some stuff and eventually after a bit more walking, gets down from the vent, and start to walk, going up some big stairs as she looked around the massive area that was called by many as the maw, once a safe heaven and now just like the pale city, a place where you have to survive. She crouched under a small wooden Hole and finds herself in a odd room, passing by a door as she froze for a moment, seeing something move through the small eye as she looking over in that direction, maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her...

she hops onto a bed, hopping up and down before she sprung over a small opened window, landing on a mattress as she looked around, freezing shortly after she sees a pair of legs dangling from above, staring in shock as she stares at the chair, and looks up at the body, shivering slightly as her eyes were wide, gulping slightly before shaking her head, pushing a chair towards a door as she slightly opens it, getting into the next room as she looks around again, seeing what looked like a.. large windmill’s shadow? Or something that looked like it, followed by seeing a fridge as she perked up, going over and opening it up before frowning as she didn't see any food there, looking around before climbing onto the fridge, might as well see where this takes her in any case. Before she perked up as she sees something running from the fridge and into a crack as she tilts her head, curiosity getting the better of her as she hops down and follows wherever the little creature went too.

Arriving in a odd room as she lit up a lantern, looking around but huffs slightly, not seeing that much light around here as she rubs her own eyes for a moment, before shrugging and going back out the way she came, climbing onto the fridge once more again, before freezing when she spotted something while walking, it was a odd black slimy creature that dropped down from the ceiling, Six quickly running as she dodged the leech looking creature, running and running before she jumps over a bridge, arriving in another room where the way forward was blocked by wood, frowning slightly before huffing and going to her right, then taking a left slightly, wondering where she should go now, it probably won’t take long for her to find her way out of here,,,, right?

–––

Turns out, it did take long for her to make her way out of here, after falling through a small pit and narrowly escaping a small horde of leeches and such, she had kept running until she found some stairs, and a door to where she had to sprint to before it closes after she pulled the lever used to make it work, after that she took a moment to breathe slightly, looking around before she rubs her forehead, walking further before she freezes upon hearing something being dragged as she looks over, just in time to see a pair of long arms slowly dragging a crate away as she froze, gulping a bit before shaking her head, noticing a make-shift rope as she perks up, before going towards it, climbing it up and up before making it to what seems like a bathroom.

She notices a cage in another room that was sparking with electricity, looking around for the power switch she finds it, closing it as the power goes off, quickly going into the bars and making her way to the other size, yelping as she trips over a music box, blinking slightly as she rubs her forehead, looking around before staring at the box, blinking slightly in surprise before she shakes her head, wiping something from her eye as she keeps running, stopping for a moment as it started playing. Trembling slightly as her thoughts drifted back to a lost time, shaking slightly as she frowned, hiccuping a bit, taking a deep breath for a moment, before quickly running away, sliding through the bars before the power turned back on as she clutched her chest, whimpering slightly as she takes a moment to breathe.

She eventually gets back up and starts walking again, freezing when she sees stone like children statues frozen in fear in a wide area, along with a huge eye like structure that was shining around, she didint need a example to show that if the light touches her, she’d be done for. So she makes her way around the room, making sure to not get caught by the light, she blinks slightly as she followed one of those nomes again, arriving in a odd office like space as she blinks, looking around before seeing it was staring at a painting, she goes over to the little guy and gently hugs it as it perks up, squeaking in confusion when it was placed down, she didn’t know why she did that but just wanted to, shrugging slightly as she makes her way back out, and going to the next room after seeing that the eye’s light wouldn’t touch her.

she looks around seeing that she was in a bedroom, blinking slightly before freezing when the door slams shut by itself, and hearing the other door slowly open as she quickly rushed and hid underneath a bed, shaking as she sees a large shadow of a man with very short legs, but very long arms, and what seemed like a odd looking hat on it’s head as she covers her mouth, hearing it’s odd clicking like noises as it looks around, the other quietly sneaking under bed to bed, shivering slightly as she keeps quiet with each step she took, eventually getting out of the room, and climbing into vents, starting to make her way further away from the janitor, dropping down as she pants slightly, rubbing her forehead before she keeps walking.

–––

She yelps as she clutched her stomach, groaning as it growled loudly, shivering and trembling “n,,,,no,,,, not now,,,,” she grunts, coughing slightly as she panted slightly, walking further and further, clutching her stomach the further she got as she panted slightly, she keeps on walking further and further before she fell to her knees slightly, panting and grunting before she looks around, trying to find SOMETHING, anything to eat, starving as she shivers slightly more.  
  
She perked up when she heard someone go "psst." she half expected it to be mono as she turns around with bright eyes, before perking up at seeing that it was just another kid, throwing a piece of bread on the floor next to her as she quickly went over and ate into it, munching onto it as the boy seemly stares over, blinking slightly as despite most of his appearance hidden through the shadow, he was most likely staring at her "...hey? what's the last thing you remember?" he asked, as she finished eating, blinking as she rubs her mouth slightly, unsure of what he meant but glanced over when he said "tell me." she still didn't response, tilting her head slightly as the boy seemly sighs a bit "if you don't tell us, you're sure to forget altogether." the boy stated, as the other seemly did nothing before she went off, climbing onto a few boxes, and hopping down to the next room

She seemly arrives in a shower like area, raising her eyebrows as she walks through the area as her feet lightly touched the water as she Keeps walking to the next room over, noticing a whole lot of cages, along with also seeing a electric gate as she frowns, before glancing to the cages and hums, before slightly starting to climb onto the cages and such, doing a bit of parkour, and pulling around with a lever after a lot more climbing and jumping before she arrives in the next room finally, rubbing her forehead slightly “I forgot how difficult these things are...” she says, while pulling some cabinets in and out, before eventually going forward, stopping at another one of those rooms with the eye that shines that odd light, seeing a cleaning cart that was moving slightly, deciding to use that for cover as she walked at the same speed that the cart was going on, also getting to the other side eventually too.

She sighs in relief, rubbing her forehead slightly as she looks around, before yelping as she notices the floors moving away, quickly running and jumping on over to the other side, glancing over and seeing a box fall down, the other panting slightly before she rubs her forehead, smiling slightly “out of the prison, check... now as for out of the maw... not check... but at least we’re making progress...” she says slightly, grinning a bit before she walks forward, going through a large hallway before going to a opened door, as she hums softly, looking around as she keeps going forward, officially getting away from the prison area for good, though she knows she’s far from safe at least she doesn’t have to worry about the leeches anymore... well- hopefully no more leeches.


	12. The Lair, Old Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting out of the prison, The Shadow eater must make her way through the lair in order to proceed, but danger lurks around every corner, Six has her first breakdown in a while from remembering something from the pale city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a reminder that with every prologue that came after mono takes place after a previous cycle, so expect some minor differences and changes each time, you'll see what i mean by what kind of differences in this one, the hospital scene happened a little differently then it originally did in mono's story, a bit more closer to canon.

_“Hey Owen?” Six asked, as the two were walking slightly as the taller man glanced down over to her “what’s wrong sweetpea?” He asks her, stopping for a moment “something on your mind?” He assumed as she hums softly, nodding a bit “what will happen to the city when the monsters are gone?” She asked, as Owen frowns a bit, shrugging “I dunno kiddo... there’s gonna be a lot of bombs... and a lot of causalities... which is why we gotta get somewhere to contact the maw as soon as we can, you said Penelope’s house is just over here?”_

_he asks as she hums “maybe a couple of blocks ahead, it’s near the cliffs so, yeah we’re not that close... but I think there’s a hotel around here, and a train station not too far...” she stated, with Owen humming lightly “ah... alright, that’ll work just as fine.” He said, humming “if your scared about if the bombs are gOnna get your sister, it won’t. The maw’s supposed to be underwater too remember?” He stated, with the other smiling and nodding slightly “yeah, I know... but I guess I’m just worried... I dunno what we’re gonna be doing once we’re there... what do you think?” she asks, with the other shrugging slightly "what do you mean by that?" owen asked as she hums "like,,, usually people do a lot of work there... and i mean A LOT of work, even the children!" she stated, looking around "im just wondering if you think we're gonna have to do the same thing?"_

_she asks as Owen thinks for a moment, looking back over “if I have to guess, we’ll most likely have to pull our own weigh to get around there, but I’m sure we’ll manage, remember we’re a team six.” He stated, patting her head “and we stick together, no matter what. Right?” He said with six smiling slightly “yeah, that’s right.. hey! I think that’s the hotel over there!” She says, pointing to a building that had a lit sign on it, flickering slightly as the other smiled a bit “well what do ya know? Maybe things are finally going our own way for once.” He stated, before noticing her stomach grumbling “...let’s also hope that they have food. I’m starving.” He said, as six nodded “yeah, I’m hungry too,,,” she says, before the two start to move closer to the hotel._

_Owen hears the odd familiar growling and motions six to stay quiet, glancing over and blinking upon frowning a bit, seeing a small horde of viewers milling about as the other sighs “nevermind... seems those things got to the hotel too....” he stated, glancing over to six as she frowned “... dang it” she crosses her arms, with Owen frowning a bit “come on then, let’s get-“ he hears some yelling slightly as one of the viewers were banging on the door, following by a few whimpering “there’s someone still alive...!” Six said, with Owen nodding as he huffed slightly “.... stay here, alright six? I’ll be just a moment” he said, with the other nodding and watching as he pulls out a hatchet and a knife, slowly walking towards the small horde of viewers as she watched him swiftly take out each and every one of them without alerting the others to him, watching further as she rubs her stomach, winching slightly for a moment before sitting down on the ground, blinking slightly as she rubs her eyes a bit, wondering why she was feeling hungry all of a sudden..._

–––  
  
Six woke up as she streched slightly, huffing a bit "just another dream...." the 12 year old said, huffing quietly as she looks around slightly, walking around before she arrives in another office like room, humming lightly as she looks around slightly, noticing a door that was opened but leads to nowhere, huffing softly as she looks around "hm.... where to go....?" she says quietly to herself, looking around further, before pulling a chair away from a table to see if there was a grate, and yelps when she sees it pressed itself on a tile, and perks up when the lights came on from the closed door, glancing over and seeing that it was a secret passage... a secret door... "well.... that's clever."  
  
She says quietly, before heading to the room, and froze upon seeing it was nearly empty, gulping as she keeps looking around, before hearing the sounds of the nomes again as she perks up, looking around as she climbs onto the table, and presses a button, perking up when the big eye on there opens up to reveal a sort of camera that perhaps spies on everything, she perks up as she noticed in the first camera screen it was showing kids sleeping, she hears a odd chanting sound in that screen, blinking before she shrugs, pushing the button again, as the eye closes and opens, showing her some nomes that were walking about, perking up "woah... a lot of you guys are around here aren't ya..." she says quietly, before pressing the button once more, seeing the eye close and then reopen.  
  
It shows her what looks to be a pantry, along with the sound of heavy breathing, and what looked like a large shadow of something as she froze a bit, getting odd chills as she gulps "oh... oh fuck that's not something i wanna deal with.. nnnnope..." she says quietly, quickly pressing the button as it closes and changes the screen again, perking up as she knew that that was, showing a staircase and a few pictures, some of them being covered "it's Veronica's quarters.... i almost forgot how peaceful it looks..." she says quietly, blinking as she frowns upon hearing a soft humming noise, that wasn't the sweet humming she hears of her adopted sister, it was the luring hum of the lady, seemly waiting for it's next victim as she grips her hands on the button, shaking her head before pressing the button once more as it closed itself, and reopens to show her something new.  
  
Instead it was showing her a broken mirror, and a shadow of a person, that familiar humming as it was seen almost, holding something and cradling it as she froze, the humming made her feel sick, clenching her fists before she turns the camera off entirely, taking a small moment to breathe slightly "that's not her.... it's not her... not anymore.... not.. anymore..." she told herself, taking a breath as she looks around "i need to get out of this room. i cant stand being around that camera anymore." she said quietly to herself, looking around as she uses her lighter to see a bit better, before making her way out of the office room, seeing that the nome was on the stairs, chittering before it waddles up slightly as she blinks, huffing for a moment before shrugging and following after the other.  
  
\---  
  
After following the nome from the office room, to the camera room, and now to up the stairs, it led her to the very top, at some point it was scared but it started following her when she hugged it before she makes it to the top, and climbing through a window as she finds herself in some sort of bedroom like area that looked more clean than the rest of them, perking up slightly as she huffs "huh.... roomy." she says quietly, looking around as she started exploring the room, pushing a briefcase to a lever and pushing it down, glancing over and seeing a bed fall down from the apparently shelf, seeing straps were on it and such as she blinks slightly ".....why would a bed have restraining straps on it...?"  
  
She asked herself, blinking as she glanced over to a unusual shape in the wall, seeing a huge black outline of a rectangle, perking up "another secret door... but..." she shrugs, before going to the bed, climbing up onto it as she started climbing onto the cabinets, glancing over to stare at a picture of the apparent owner of the room, looking similar to the creature whose's shadow she saw in that bedroom with children. gulping as she noticed how grey it's head and face was, almost like it was missing it's lips, and where it's eyes were, there was a blindfold wrapped onto them so, it couldn't see??? so maybe that's why it was clicking, using something that owen told her was echo-location, things creatures use that have poor sight or so to locate prey or to navigate through difficult places, a clever tactic, but why was the creature blind? did something happen to make it blind...?  
  
She shakes her thoughts away as she makes it to the top, noticing a key down on a table as she carefully climbs on down to where the key is, picking it up and throwing it down onto the floor as she makes her way back down to where the bed is, hopping on down and picking up the key as she went over to the odd wall and tried pushing it, and to her luck, it was in fact another secret like door, picking the key back up as she makes her way into the room now, looking for the lock to put the key in, noticing a lock on a old door as she places the key in, turning the lock as she hears a click, the lock falling to the ground as she grins a bit "bingo."  
  
Six says, before opening the door, and arriving in the start of a elevator like area, glancing over to a monkey and humming slightly, picking up the object and throwing it at the button, as she hears the sounds of a elevator coming up, going into it and throwing the monkey like object at another button as the elevator starts to go down... or up? anyway she makes it to the floor and starts to walk down the halls, before she drops the object, suddenly coughing heavily as she clutched her stomach, winching "g...god...! n...not now!" she coughs further, trying to walk further as she clutched the monkey object to her, before she drops it again as she clutched her stomach further, coughing more and more "u...urgh... n...not now.. p..please... i don't wanna eat again..."  
  
she coughs further and further, panting as she shakes her head, leaving the monkey there as she lits up another lantern, coughing as she shakes slightly, walking further and further, before her stomach grumbled more and more, the scars she could feel on it were stinging slightly, coughing more and more as she clutched it, while mono would get massive headaches from TV's that were from and in the pale-city, when six was attacked by the eyes and survived, her stomach was severely scarred and damaged, causing her to get hungry a lot more often, grunting as she started panting, trembling as she tries to walk, before falling to her knees, whimpering slightly as she panted, walking slower and slower as her stomach kept grumbling more and more, before seeing meat in a cage, her stomach growling like crazy as she whines.  
  
"n...no... it's... t...tra..." she coughs further, clutching her stomach, she couldn't bare the hunger anymore, coughing further and further before she limped over to the cage, kneeling down and starting munching down onto the meat, the entire room flickers once more again as she keeps eating, with that odd shadow variant of her appearing out of nowhere and just seemly watching her eat, and eat and eat, standing up before she froze upon hearing a hand place itself onto the top of the cage "...fuck." she says quietly, before she tries to book it, before the cage door slams onto her face, knocking her backwards and hitting the back of her head on the back of the cage, dizzy before she falls down with a thud.  
  
\---  
  
She groaned slightly as she rubs her forehead, weakly looking around to find herself in a caged room with other children locked in cage, she glanced over, shivering and trembling as she sees a pair of long arms grabbed onto a cage that housed a familiar looking boy dressed in blue before the janitor seemly drags the cage away from the room, with six shivering and quickly thrashing left and right into the cage to get out, acting like a feral animal as her nails were seemly sharper, looking like claws, the same with her toenails and her teeth, being sharper as she kept bashing left and right until the cage fell to the ground with a thud, the gate opening as she quickly crawled out of there on all fours, panting and hissing as odd shadow like spots were formed around her raincoat, panting slightly as she shivered a bit, calming down as her features slowly returned back to normal, shivering slightly as only her sharp teeth remained.  
  
but then that calming soon turned to fear when she sees she couldn't move any farther, glancing down and froze upon seeing that she's been chained, two chains on her arms, two on her legs, one across her waist, she struggled to get them off, hissing and shrieking slightly as she started to grow again, the odd shadow like spots appearing over her as her claws get sharper, her legs slightly longer, and her body bigger, before she ripped herself away as a loud SNAP! was heard, as she steamed slightly, panting and looking over, seeing that she was freed from the chains, though they were still on her, at least she wouldn't be chained up for now, noticing that she was slightly as tall as the cage she was just in, shaking slightly as she panted a bit, the shadow like parts fading away as well as the claws, as she yanks the rest of the chains off, until only the cuffs remained, not wanting to waste anymore of her strength she decided to keep them on, for now anyway.  
  
Shaking her head, she goes over to one of the other cages and pulls them away, for her to get something as she steamed slightly, climbing onto the top of it, and jumping over, getting what it was that she needed, before landing back down, and walking off, crouching over when she eventually goes into a room after a lot of climbing and such as she sees that the janitor was wrapping something up, noticing that there were patches of cloth on the wood as she gets a idea, it cant hear her if she's walking on the cloth, huffing quietly as she starts to sneak by, tricking the janitor by throwing smaller objects away from her, as she walks, she picks up a lever, thinking for a moment before she darts quickly to the next room. sliding under a grate, and quickly placing the lever onto a slot, winding it up as a hatch was opening up, glancing back to see that the janitor was coming towards the sound, she growled, before quickly running and hopping through the hatch at the last second as the janitor almost catches her.  
  
she fell all the way down to the vents, catching herself at just the last second, quickly crouching through and making her way through the vents, stopping as something drops from above her for a moment, before she shakes her head and keeps walking, lighting up another lantern, and climbing onto another suitcase, and walking further through the vents, taking deep breaths as she returned to her natural size, eventually making it out of the area, and hopping down onto another suitcase, freezing upon seeing that.. there were.. quite a lot of shoes, like WAY TOO MANY shoes for her own liking, she shivered slightly, before shaking her head, frowning and going on down and moving through the shoes, she hears some loud shuffling behind her, and noticed that she wasn’t alone, something else was down here with her. Her blood ran cold as she quickly went faster, climbing onto a suitcase right before the creature tried to grab at her.

–––

She panted slightly as she shook lightly, shaking her head “first... that trash monster and now... A SHOE MONSTER?” She grunted, it was bad enough that unlike this creature she could actually see glimpses and features of the trash monster that once resided in the nest, she looked around, before she huffs and took a risk, jumping back into the piles of shoes and tried to go as fast as she could, just narrowly avoiding the monster as she climbed onto another suitcase, panting slightly as she rubs her forehead “Jesus... goddamn... Christ...” she said, grunting as she looked around, still not finding a way out of this room, she does the same thing again, jumping back into the piles of shoes and going as fast as she can, before getting onto another suitcase, panting slightly as she looks around further, before perking up as she sees the rest of the floor beyond the sea of shoes, grinning slightly.  
  
Quickly jumping back down she makes her way to the last suitcase, quickly climbing onto it, and then hopping over to the rest of the solid floor as the suitcase cracks slightly as the creature gave out a growl of annoyance as Six ran away from the room of shoes, going to another room as she panted slightly, rubbing her forehead, looking up at the ceiling and seeing a lot of dead mice hanging by their tails on the ceiling, before she freezes, she knows this room, this was the same room that she saw the cage of meat in, gulping slightly as she somewhat knows what might happen next, she started walking faster and faster, before she hears something fall from behind her, with a familiar clicking sound before she started running as fast as she can as the janitor went after her, she quickly went into the elevator, and slid underneath a opened drawer and went as far back as she could, crouching down and shivering slightly, she wished that her raincoat was a bit more darker than brighter, otherwise she wouldn't be any more afraid that she already is.  
  
She covered her mouth slightly as the janitor crawled into the elevator, clicking slightly and looking around, tilting it's head slightly, before it pressed the button as the elevator started going up, as six gulps silently 'oh no,,,' she thought to herself as the janitor clicked and growled slightly, looking around and feeling everywhere, possibly looking for her no doubt as she tried to keep as still and quiet as possible as it neared closer to her by how bigger it's shadow was getting, growling as it lifts it's hands out of the other things it was searching out of, placing it's hands on the floor as it clicks and growls, sniffing about, before it hissed when a familiar chitter and squeak was heard, as two nomes ran from behind, shuffling through the bars and such as the janitor snarled, going after the two at a quick speed, mistaking them for a child as six stared in shock, waiting for her heartbeat to steadied itself, before she came out of the drawer, taking deep breaths.  
  
"okay.... okay.... it's alright.... god..." she rubs her forehead slightly, before she went out of the elevator, noticing that she was in a more darker room, yelping as the elevator closed itself, she looked around to find a way to get past the janitor without being seen by it, before perking up when she sees a loose board, glancing over to a cart of blocks as she went over and pulled it away from the board, before she hops onto it a few times before she fell through, now underneath the floorboards as she notices a nome in front of her, she perks up and smiled, attempting to go to it, but the little bugger started waddling away as she perked up "h-hey! w-wait up! I just wanted to say thank you!" she called out, frowning and going after the nome, she froze upon hearing the janitor's breathing from above as she once again became quiet, shaking slightly "W...why can't I get one small moment of peace and quiet,,," she said quietly, gulping a bit as she listened for it to walk away as she quietly started walking in a sneaky like state, going to the slightly next room as she looked up, noticing glimpses of dolls and such as she shook herself slightly, how the heck was she going to get herself out of this one?  
  
\---  
  
She was lucky, VERY lucky, after putting on her mask to make her breathing more quiet and such, and after quietly climbing onto the floor, she managed to get a lucky throw and distract the janitor long enough for her to get to where the huge room of dolls were, and started quickly climbing up and up onto the shelves and such before getting to the top, wasting no time in getting farther and farther away from the janitor after pushing a box of files away, and quickly climbing and running in a crouched state in the vent, putting her lighter on as she walked through the area, shaking slightly as she looks around more and more as she makes her way out of the vent, thinking she was home free finally, before she fell on down to another room, and froze upon seeing the janitor climbing onto a hole in the ceiling, silently and quietly cursing herself as she grunts, before shaking her head, getting through this room as quickly and quietly as possible.  
  
But of course she was forced to take her time to avoid getting seen and caught by the janitor, grunting slightly as she covered her ears as the clocks starting chiming, but noticing that they were loud enough to block out the janitor's sense of hearing, so she quickly ran across, going to the next room over after sliding through a small grate, before she started running as the janitor quickly and finally noticed her, panting and slightly as she ran through the room of clocks, trying to evade it before she finally got onto the cloth, and made it to another room and closed the door shut, before once again having to risk making more noise, why? because she had to make sure a piano didn't fall down to prevent the janitor from hearing that and going to see what had happened.

And once again just like before she was just BARELY able to get away from the janitor the moment she stepped onto solid ground after jumping from the piano, climbing onto huge shelves as she was now a bit safer, all she ready had to do was to make sure that it wouldn’t get to her, and she was going to make sure of that, carefully walking on the boards as she avoided the long arms of the janitor, breathing quietly as she threw various objects the other way, to put as much distance as possible between her and the monster as she eventually gets down, arriving in a room and noticing possibly the only TV that's there in the whole maw, along with also picking up a lever handle, staring at it slightly before she stared at the TV, frowning as she twitches, almost remembering something....  
  
She rubs her forehead, frowning slightly "...he's gone now... it doesn't matter...." she said, sniffling slightly as she rubbed her forehead, just standing there for a while, frowning as a voice called out to her " **WWWWWHYYY...ARE YOU SSSTANDING TTTHERE....YYYOU HAVEEE TOOO KEEEEP GGGOINGGG.... TTTTHEEEE...SHOW..... MUST GGGGO ON....** " she grips on the lever, frowning slightly, maybe it would of been better if she wasnt found by them, dropping the lever as she rubs her eyes, sitting down as she looked at her hands, shaking slightly " **KEEP...GGGGOING SSSSIX...... YYYYYOUR... AAALMOST.... OUT OF THIS ROOM.... JUST TURN ON.. TTTTVVVV...AND DO THE RRRREST.....** " it paused slightly, before it seemly chuckled softly, the voice getting more clearer but deeper as it taunts her " **DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR PPPPRECIOUS MONO AGAIN....?** " the voice called out, it seemed to be echoing everywhere and nowhere as she froze when it spoke mono's name, shaking slightly as she stared at the TV, frowning softly as she took a deep breath, something dripping from her eyes  
  
\---  
  
 _"Hey mono?" Six asked, as the boy glanced over, tilting his head for a moment as he was looking around for the key in the hospital "hm? what's up pal?" he asked, with the other glancing away for a moment "..you uh... always wear that bag over your head... why is that?" she asked, with the other perking up, as he ponders slightly, before shrugging "honestly, it's to hide my face, whenever people look at me, they don't see a normal kid like me.. they almost see something else, it's like they can't even look at me for a second... it's tough, but i managed." he said, with six blinking and frowning, gently playing the teddy-bear she was holding down "could i see?" she asked, with Mono perking up, and glancing over to her "ya sure...?"_  
  
 _She nodded "we're friends mono, and friends don't keep secrets from eachother! plus im curious!" she said, with the other blinking as he chuckles tiredly "eh... sure, why not. just uh... don't freak out, alright bud?" he stated, with the other smiling "please, we just escaped a teacher that can extend her neck for miles, im sure i won't be surprised at what's underneath your bag." she said, smiling softly as the other chuckled "okay okay" he said, before placing his hands over the bag and taking it off as Six tilts her head slightly, perking up at what mono's face was. unlike the first cycle we're all familiar with, in this one mono's own face is slightly a bit more difference, of course it was still similar, but having some minor changes here and there._  
  
 _The left side of the face to her view was completely normal, save for a few scarring here and there, with the eye being perfectly normal and having a green pupil, while the right side of his face in her view was nearly burnt apart, with the entire eye being as black as a tv's screen, his hair was all messy and such, and he seemed to have a bandage around his neck that's been stained with old blood, she noticed that there was a odd crack on the socket of eye, looking like tears had been dripping down but have long since become a part of it, she froze a bit as she went over, and gently touched mono's cheek "w...what the heck happened to you...?" she said quietly, with the other frowning softly and tiredly smiling "a accident. that's what happened... it's why i keep getting those weird headaches you see me go into when im near one of those TV's... if those things don't get you.... they leave a reminder of their encounter with you, so that you'd never be safe and normal again... im hoping that when we finally get to the tower and shut it down, my problem would go away, and we wouldn't have to worry about it anymore."_  
  
 _he stated, with the other frowning softly "oh you poor thing...." she stroked his cheek as he winched softly as she pulled her hand back "sorry... sorry just... it still stings from time to time again... but it hasn't hurt that much in a very long time..." he said, rubbing the back of his head "i was honestly expecting you to freak out like everyone else did when they saw my face..." he said as six felt insulted, putting a hand to her chest "oh how dare you, i would never freak out, you have a perfectly normal face!" she said, with mono laughing "hah, thanks. but even before i had this scar people just, were always scared of me.. i never found out why..." he shrugged "sorry, im rambling again aren't i?" he said as the other giggled "it's fine, really, im glad i see how you look." she said, smiling as the other's cheeks rose a bit "heh.. uh.. thanks.... so!" he puts his bag back on, adjusting it "shall we keep going? the way out isn't gonna show itself" he said, with six giggling slightly and nodding "sure, let's get out of here!"_  
  
\---  
  
Six frowned slightly as she snapped back to reality when she had realized she'd been crying all that time, shaking and shivering slightly, it was a wonder how the janitor didn't seem to find her after that, or maybe it was out of respect for what little humanity remained in it, the other freezing up as she grips on the lever, before she slowly gets up, going on over to the TV, and pressing play on it, as it started playing out a show as she quickly rushed away, hiding behind a crate as she noticed the Janitor lumbering in finally, twitching as it clicks slightly at the tv, tilting it's head as six started to run and run as the janitor was distracted with the TV, she ran as fast as she could, before going to where she needed to go.  
  
She placed the lever into the slot and started turning it around, the noise being louder than the TV as she hurried, glancing as she noticed the shadow of the Janitor appearing closer, she quickly rushed when it was finished, jumping onto the piano and running across and jump into the floor, quickly going into a grate and arriving in another room as she pushed a cart towards a door, not even daring to wait to let that thing catch up, quickly opening the door and going into the next room, and noticing how torn apart the floors were, quickly going past the broken floors as she opened up another gate to a vent, going into it as she walked through the area, panting slightly as she almost took a minute to collect her thoughts, passing by a oddly large looking crack, and then another, before she shrieks as she slides out of the way as the janitor's arms came through the holes, attempting to get her.  
  
She was able to escape by getting out of the vent, before she noticed a door next to the vent she came out of, and seeing the doorknob twist and turn "goddamn it..." she said quietly, before Six took off running as the door opened up, with the janitor clicking slightly and giving chase as she noticed one door closing behind her and noticing the other one wasn't, quickly sliding in as she panted slightly, before she yelps at seeing the arms attempting to get in, she dodged most of their advantages, before taking notice of the cage keeping the gate from closing fully, getting a idea as with careful planning, she attempts to pull one of the bars out, succeeding as the door budged down closer, with the janitor making a low groan as she tried again, almost succeeding before having to get back to the corner to avoid the long arms.  
  
She shivered slightly, before waiting once more and trying again, gripping onto the bar and pulling it with all her might before she succeeds, pulling it out as the doors slammed shut, with blood spraying out of the janitor's arms as she hears it giving out a loud pain filled cry, before hearing the creature falling to the ground and thrashing about, making several shrieks and clicks as she backed up, panting and grinning slightly "y-yeah!!! t-take that y-you long armed FREAKSHOW!!" she said, grinning as she panted slightly, rubbing her forehead, before she goes over to her exit, making her way out of the lair by going through the vents, unsure of where it would lead her but, anywhere was better than here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was originally gonna end it with after she like- distracts the janitor with the tv like the chase and death animation would happen, but then like i rewatched the video that i was looking at for reference and im- kinda glad that i didn't, even though when the au's main story comes up the events in the maw will be quite different, that is if i ever plan on having the maw make a appearance in the au's main story for when the prologues are done, dunno, we shall see.


	13. Remembering To Survive, Escaping The Kitchen.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> after taking a nap after escaping the janitor's lair, Six makes her way through the kitchen in order to get to the exit, but the chefs don't like tresspassers in their working station, and will snatch anyone that are unlucky enough to be caught by them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if like- the little memory thing was a bit longer than last time i wanted to expand more of my au's six's backstory, and wanted to write in her protector more since of course by now he won't be appearing in the story but he did leave a heavy impact onto her. maybe someday in the future he might return, we'll see. anywHO uhhh- enjoy this and also six running from crazy cooks who chop up people to millions of pieces but uh yeah expect the actual part of the story being a lot more quicker,,, i think... im not sure cause i dunno how long i wanna have each chapter be, we'll find out i suppose

Six sat alone on the boxcar as the train kept moving, they were almost to the mainland, that'll be where her sister is, she was sure of it, the only problem was that the mainland was in bright city, and no one knows what became of it, this was when she had just finally gotten away from the nest, having been found and reunited with her protector and the group, she grips on the raincoat she was wearing, along with a hat one of the only other kids she was friends with in the group gave to her, with the initial S on it, the boy that gave her the hat was infected when the nearby viewers and walkers attacked their group, and as of now, he was most surely gone, put out of his misery by owen and the poor boy's father whom was named Daryl, the mother was also gone, seemly having taken her own life, She frowns softly as she thought back to nora, owen would of liked her, she was smart, clever and cunning like he was, and she cared about her own safety, if only she had acted quicker she would of saved nora, but... it was over now, she was alone again, even though she was back with owen and some of the others, it wasn't the same.  
  
she perked up as she hears the boxcar's doors opening, glancing on over to see Owen coming back over, looking outside the boxcar she noticed that one of the survivors that they took in a few months after she had reunited with owen from the nest, a teenager named Travis was taken into the group when owen and Daryl and one of the past survivors, mark came back with the bodies of the boy's teacher and friend, they didn't survive, nor did mark due to apparently cannibals. she noticed a odd look on owen's face as he saw her sitting by herself, looking at the forest as the train kept moving, he went on over to her after he had a talk with chuck about what he said to Six 'that what happened to Sam, would happened to me.' he glanced to her when she spoke "he there Six" he said, smiling softly as six glanced on over, looking at him "did you talk to Chuck?" she asked, with owen nodding "i did, he had some uh.. he explained himself, and made some good points." he said, slightly rubbing at a scar he got across his cheek as he stares at her a bit sternly now  
  
"look, we're not going to let anything bad happen to you. But there are some precautions we have to take." he said, with six blinking and nodding "okay, yeah, that makes sense." she said, with Owen nodding "don't worry sweetheart." he said, with her nodding slightly "okay, what should we do??" she asks, with the other thinking for a moment, pondering for a option "well, we're going to have to figure out a plan for when we get to Bright City, Teach you how to protect yourself, and uh, tidy you up a little so you cant get grabbed so easily" he said, with six smiling a bit "i'd like that" she said, with the other nodding a bit "good..." he said, as he ponders on what to say next "...okay so your probably not gonna like this.." he said, with the other blinking "oh no,, what happened?" she asked, with the other putting his hands up "it's nothing, we just have to talk about your hair, it's not safe." he said, with the other blinking slightly and frowning "that's not nice." she said, with Owen blinking "what?" he asked, with the other frowning a bit "are you saying it smells?" she asked, with the other holding in a sincker "no" he said, but Six pressed on anyway "cause it does... kinda." she said, with Owen chuckling slightly, before sighing a bit as he looked to her.  
  
\---  
  
"Do you remember when Andrew grabbed it? and i got mad?" he asked, her, with Six nodding slightly "yeah..." she said, with Owen nodding "well that could happen again, and if it's a walker... well.. we need to trim it." he stated, with Six blinking slightly "just a trim, right?" she asked, with Owen staring at her "i need to cut it short enough so that it cant get grabbed." he stated, with Six frowning a bit before she pulled down her raincoat's hood and hat, having her slightly long hair be shown after she sighed "okay,,," she said, with Owen smiling a bit softly "mind if we do this now?" he asked, with the other nodding a bit "i guess not,,," she said with Owen smiling a bit "don't moan, it's a good thing." he said, standing up and pulling out some scissors as he went behind her, kneeling down and beginning to cut her hair slightly "do you know how to do this??" she asked, as owen simply replied with "nope. no idea, im not much of a stylish, you know." he stated, with six frowning a bit   
  
"im gonna look like a boy..." she stated, with owen huffing a bit "but think of how much safer you'll be." he said, with the other frowning a bit "i'd rather be dead." she said, with Owen frowning slightly "shush now." he said as he keeps cutting it, as six plainly stated to him "so you did kill someone before." she stated, with Owen nodding "yeah." he said simply as she kept talking "im glad you finally told me." she said, with Owen frowning a bit "me too." he said, before blinking when she replied with "but you've killed lots of things now, it doesn't even matter." she said, as owen frowned slightly as he keeps cutting her hair, shaking his head "killing is bad. no matter what." he stated, as Six blinks, raising a eyebrow "but you do it now to protect yourself, and to protect me." she said, with Owen sighing softly "it doesn't make it good." he said, as she blinked a bit "but you have to."  
  
Owen huffed a bit, staring at her as he keeps cutting "i do it because it's necessary, and walkers and viewers aren't people... not anymore anyway." he said, before he checks her over "okay... i think im about done, i can probably tie these pieces back with something." he stated, with Six pulling something out of her pocket and hanging it to him "here, i have some of these hair thingies." she said, with owen blinking "you do?" he questioned as she nodded "yeah, uh,, Lizzie gave them to me, for sleeping." she said, with owen nodding and being finished, smiling "there. all set." he said, as six's hair was no longer long, but looking like the short raven haired girl that mono would meet years later, with the side bangs and all, she feels her hair slightly, blinking a bit "does it look dumb??" she asked, with owen chuckling and patting her head "no, you look cute. and a lot harder to grab." he says, giving her the hat back as she putted it back on, owen smiling a bit before he thought about something else, now that the hair was out of the way, onto the more difficult one.   
  
\---  
  
"you need to know how to protect yourself." Owen stated, with Six blinking slightly "like,, hiding or running away? got it" she said, with Owen frowning a bit before he pulled out his gun "i mean with one of these." he stated as Six blinked heavily, looking at it "first. don't be afraid of it, it's just a thing. take it." he says, before he cocks the gun back a bit "but know where your finger is all the time, and don't put it on the trigger unless you want to hurt somebody." he said, as he handed it to six, the only nodding a bit "okay.. okay.." she said, with Owen crossing his arms "see, it's not scary." he said, with Six huffing a bit "it's heavy" she stated, with owen glancing down "you'll get stronger." he stated, kneeling down "to aim, you look right down the top, through that notch." he said, gently turning her around and helping her with the aiming "line up the sight of your end with your target."  
  
He said, with Six glancing back to him "is there anything else i should know?" she asked, with the other pondering "first of all, aim for the head if it's a walker or viewer, secondly, Squeeze the trigger, steadily.. and when your ready to shoot, make sure your not breathing too hard, and then hold your breathe right when you pull the trigger." he stated, with her raising her eyebrow "like when im swimming??" she asked, as the other chuckled softly "no, just for a quick second, i found if i did that, i was a lot more accurate. it's tough, but it'll help." he said, with Six nodding and smiling a bit "i can do that, okay." she said, as Owen nodded, and went on over to a box and placed a empty wine bottle there, for target practice as he went back over to her as she aimed, with owen nodding "good.. don't lock your elbows" he said, gently lowering them down slightly and covering her ears. "okay.. let's take your first shot, squeeze the trigger smoothly, and i'll cover your ears, nice and easy." he stated, with Six slightly repeating the final words.  
  
"Nice and easy...." she shoots the gun as it misses but the noise enough made her let out a "eep!!" she shivered a bit as owen got up "you okay?" he asked, with the other trembling a bit "my hands hurt, i don't like this." she said, with Owen sighing a bit "let's stick with it, okay?" he said, with Six frowning again "do i have to?" she asked, with owen doing the same thing when she first aimed "yeah, you do." he said, as the other aimed again, as he hummed lightly "steady now, almost got it.." he said, as she listened, as owen stared at the direction she was aiming "aim higher.." he said as she shot it, the bullet missing as he blinks a bit, huffing softly "close, now keep it steady." he said as she kept it steady again as he thinks for a moment "...aim lower." he said as she shoots, the bullet successfully hitting the bottle as she turned around "i got it!" she said, smiling as owen also smiled "excellent, good shot!" he said, before he went back over to the box, and placing another bottle down there "let's try it again. see if you can get two in a row."  
  
he said, before going back over and placing his hands on her ears when adjusting her aiming posture, she shot, but it missed slightly, with owen noticing that as he hummed "okay.. aim a little bit more to the left" he said as she changed her aiming direction, as owen nodded slightly "okay, steady now.. almost got it" he said, as she shoots again, the bottle breaking as she grinned happily as owen smiled "there you go, nice." he said, with Six smiling slightly as she noticed him going over and placing another bottle down "let's see if you can get another one." he said, coming back over and adjusting her aiming posture and covering her ears as she shoots, and instantly gets the bottle, the glass shattering slightly as she squealed a bit, smiling happily "i did it!" she said proudly, with Owen smiling "yeah you did, good job!" he said, with Six nodding "i was holding my breathe! and the gun didn't shake so much" she said, with owen smiling "see? you did good." he said, as Six then frowned a bit "but they're not monsters though." she claimed, as Owen nodded "no.. far from it, but you know how these things work now, we'll graduate you to walkers and viewers one day." he stated, with the other nodding "okay, i feel good" she said with owen smiling a bit.  
  
\---  
  
"not so scary huh?" he stated, with the other nodding "nuh-uh!" she said, handing the gun back to him as he placed it back in his pocket, okay so he cutted her hair, check... he taught her how to shoot, also check. now to come up with a plan as he went back over to her, sitting down "i wanna talk about bright city." he stated as she nodding "me too" she said, with him pulling out the map "and what we're going to do when we get there, we don't know what to expect, the city could be bad, or totally under control." he stated as he placed the map down, the two looking at the whole map carefully "the thing is, you and i? we're a team you know, and a team needs a plan.. aside from everyone else when this train stop, you and i should know exactly what we're doing" he said, with her nodding "a plan, i like it." she said, with owen smiling slightly "ha... good." he said, pondering on what to chose "we need to find a boat, it's our best way to safety." he stated as she nodded   
  
"okay, but we'll be in bright city, and my sister and her parents were in Bright city!" she stated, as Owen frowned slightly "i know, look-" she cutted him off as she frowned angerily "no! i don't care about safety, i care about finding them!" she stated, with Owen's expression softening "okay.. we'll look for them." he stated, with Six's expression changing "r-really?" she said, as he nodded "yes, of course. im sorry, let's look at the map, if we can figure out where they were, we can start there." he said, as she nodded "okay! let's!" she said, as Owen looked to the map, and pointing to his far right on the map "it looks like we'll come right through town if there's nothing on the tracks to hold us up, we're gonna wanna look for a boat here" he said, pointing to another spot "i imagine. and from there we've got all of bright city to the southwest of us. if it's not too damaged."  
  
he said, as he pointed to another part of the city as Six kept listening "now we've got a good chunk of the city here, what do you think?" he asked her as the other blinks, pondering slightly before she remembered something "when they're away from the maw in the city, they always stay in the same place when they go there, it's uh... hm..." she tried to think as Owen smiled a bit "hey don't worry, we'll figure it out, have you ever been there?" he asked as she nodded "once." she stated as owen blinks, that... wasn't much to go by "well, think about it there are a lot of hotels on here, but read this map and maybe it will jog your memory" he stated, as six hummed a bit, before perking up   
  
"they got really tasty food there!.. not as tasty as the food in the maw but similar! and really tastey desserts, it's called the.. uhm.. s...sai... something.. saint.." she pondered before perking up when Owen pointed to a certain spot on the map "is this it? Saint Denis?" he asked as she smiled, grinning slightly as she nodded "yeah! that's it!" she said, as owen smiled slightly "so we'll head there." he said as Six grinned happily "yes!" she said as Owen softly chuckles a bit "ya think we have a good plan?" he asked, as she nodded happily "i think it's very good!,, can i... uhm... tell my parents? you know" she asked as Owen pondered slightly, before nodding a bit "sure, go ahead" he said as the other smiled happily "alright.. how do you feel?" he asked her as she smiled "good. better. im glad we have a good plan" she said, as owen smiled a bit "and your a good little shot" he said as the other nodded "thanks!" she said as owen huffed "i guess we should see how far-" before he could finish another voice called out echoing "OH SHIT! HOLD ON EVERYBODY!" the voice said, before the train halted to a stop, with owen making sure that six wouldn't fall as she gets dizzy, her vision getting blurry...  
  
\---  
  
Six groaned lightly as the memory faded from her, rubbing her head as she wakes up after sleeping in a safer area when she got out of the vent, blinking tiredly as she looks around, it had been some time since she slept properly, looking around as by now she did fully get near the kitchen area, so we all know she's seen the chefs and all, and along with eating the poor rat to put it out of it's misery after getting trapped by a trap, she perks up as she rubs her forehead, she also saw the other chef too, grumbling softly as she had to spent a while in the kitchen before her well earned nap, along with also catching a key and trying to hide from the chefs, including going out of her way to save a nome from being trapped as she rubbed her forehead, shivering a bit as she saw a bit of sad things.  
  
first and fore-most was that a lot of bodybags were there, a whole lot of them, a lot of children got killed here, it made her both sad, and sick to the stomach, even thinking back to it as she hid and survived from the chefs was enough to make her wanna puke. huffing softly as she swung on a rope of sausage slightly, getting to another area just as easily as she also found out a odd thing about the chefs the more she explored, they wore masks, apparently under that messed up skin mask was their actual face, she only caught a few glimpses of it but the color and decay alone was enough to make her wish that she was out of here a lot more quicker, arriving in the freezer and taking a bit to explore before she came across her third sad encounter, a dead nome that seemly froze, with a rat nearby as she frowned softly, but couldn't stop to give it a proper burial, she had to keep on moving.  
  
with the final sad thing was the fact that she realized that half the meat must of come from other humans, the chefs couldn't have just gathered a whole bunch of kids and made their remains into huge slabs of meat, she did hear a rumor that the previous guests that came to the maw always never leave, she frowned a bit as she rubs her forehead, grumbling softly as she kept moving forward, not wanting to think about it that much anymore, Mono would of hated this place, as did owen... well before it became a sick place, before that it was a safe-zone for everyone! now it was just like the nest and pale city...  
  
She had to hide from the chefs a couple of times as she went back and fourth between the room with the makeshift rope, and the freezer, having to go under a vent at one point to access more of the freezer room, the reason why she had to hide, cause when the elevator went down it made a lot of noise, and of course the chefs had to check it out, she waited until it went away, just barely giving herself away when it shook the box on top of her hiding place, attempting to coax her out as if it knew she was there, but no, it was just looking for something before it went on it's way before she made her way to the elevator, quickly hiding in a vent shortly after when it dinged, and waited for the chef to pass so it could unawarely open the door for her.  
  
\---  
  
She sighed in relief when the chef finally left, smiling a bit as she slowly made her way into the kitchen, going underneath tables as she made sure that she wouldn't get seen, it was also where she got her second glimpse of the fact that they really did wore masks, noticing the skin in a more brighter area showed that it was like the janitor's skin in a way, only more decayed and not paled out, she slowly made her way to the other room, wondering if there was a way out of here, frowning a bit before thinking, and pressing a random button as she yelps and ran to hide as it made a loud noise.  
  
The noise of course attracted the Chef as it made it's way into the room, breathing heavily like the hunter, although more because of how it looked, while it was distracted, she started to run as fast as she could, going underneath a grate, and quickly speeding up and grabbing the key as she made her way back to the elevator, grinning slightly before she calmed down in relief as it went down, rubbing her forehead "thank god...." she said, before she yelps as she sees the elevator going up "uh-oh!" she quickly went to the locked door she saw, and placed the key in, quickly pushing it open as she could hear the elevator ding and then slowly coming back down, she rushed into the other room, and slid into a hiding place, keeping quiet and perfectly still as she waited for the expected signs of the chef to show up.  
  
and indeed it did, groaning and breathing slightly as it marched into the room, looking around slightly, before huffing and grunting, shrugging and walking on off, opening the other door in front of it as it walked on off, the door closing as she huffed a bit, wondering where it'll take her before she climbed onto a opened hatch, attempting to jump to the door handle, before she yelps and falls down to a garbage area or something when she pressed too much weigh onto the platform, groaning as she rubs her forehead, shaking herself off "eeeew..... god.." she rubs her forehead, looking around before climbing up onto some old boards, and attempting to her way out of here, noticing a hole that would make her come right back onto the top, but she was smart, slowly exploring around the entire area under the floorboards to get a layout of the room that she would be climbing onto, and thank god she did cause she saw both chefs through the small gaps above her were there, hearing them do dishes together, she passed by another hole but she wouldn't climb up that one.  
  
She kept moving forward, eventually climbing on up and running away, hiding into spaces where they cant reach her, before they lost interest, she kept moving more and more, passing by a area before she had to backtrack again, whining a bit as she didn't know where to go from here, not knowing what else to do as she makes her way all the way back to where she saw the first hole, quietly climbing onto it as she looked around, wondering what to go from here, before she perked up, seeing hooks above her, and a line, before she slowly grinned, rubbing her hands together slightly.  
  
\---  
  
This, was both the riskiest, and craziest thing she ever did, and she enjoyed it, using the hook to guide across the ceiling above, she giggled a bit as the Chefs noticed her from above and attempted to grab at her, but couldn't, if she wasn't holding onto the hook for dear life, she would cover her mouth to quiet down her giggles as they made more annoyed groans and such, with six grinning "try and catch me ugly!!! i aint being the next meal!" she shouted, sticking her tongue out as the chef nearly roared a bit, steam coming out of where the ears were as she giggled again.  
  
Arriving through a hole she had noticed a bit that one of the chefs were gone, she glanced over and saw it on the other side, seemly waiting to grab her as the hook's line was passing through it's direction, she scoffed "not today fatman!" she said, dropping down at the last moment as it grabbed the hook, nearly yelping as it fell down with a thud, as Six started running when the other chef bursts through the door, growling in anger as it went after her, the chef that fell scrambled up before also following it's fellow worker, the two of them chasing after six as she dodged most of their attempts to snatch her "too slow!" she shouted, seeing the two splitting up again, she makes it through another door, and noticed the second chef appearing from the shadows, quickly running off as a wine bottle was thrown, hitting the other chef instead as it screamed, backing up and clutching it's face, not stopping six as she hopped onto another hood, and started being dragged away to the air away from the two.  
  
"haha! there we freaking go!" she said, grinning as she waved goodbye to the two angry chefs, the chefs roaring as they attempted to throw more stuff, to no avail as she smirked, sticking her tongue out "sorry fatmen! maybe next time you'll catch me! until then, i am OUT of your hairs, smell ya later!!" she said, as she laughed slightly, the chefs groaning and flailing their arms about, eventually stopping throwing objects as they grumbled and walked away in anger, with Six watching as she grinned in glee, smirking a bit.  
  
"i really freaking hope that's the last of trying to evade those things, they may be big but goddamn they can run fast when they want too..." she said, huffing as she drops down to a ledge, noticing a hole as she perks up, smiling a bit before she goes through it, hoping that it would take her closer to her freedom, not knowing where else to go as she makes it through the darkness, before arriving out of the small hole, and noticed a very large room and area, before she hears a odd noise, like doors opening, seeing a huge bright light as she perked up, thinking it was her ticket out of here as she carefully rushed off, smiling a bit, almost home free, she was almost out of here!! a part of her wanted to stay and try to convince her sister to stop everything but, she knew her sister was far too gone at that point... so for now all she cared about, was her own survival. and nothing was going to stop her now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ending things off with something else, sorry if it was summarized a bit too much, again half of the length of this chapter was used up by the little memory thing of how she learned to protect herself and to survive without anyone's support until she had met mono later on, ssso yeah- her survival skills are gonna come in handy later on, you'll just have to see when. that's all!


	14. Not On The Guest List.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> news of six's escape has mostly spread throughout the maw by now, or at least, news of a child that has escaped and brought the end to the janitor, Six has to be extra careful now when passing through a feast of guests fattening themselves up, for she isn't on the guest list and the guests are not like the ones from the mainland, they eat anything that moves, including people like her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're all nearing the end already... im sure you all know what happens in this one.

_The Young girl stared out the window of the house that she and the others were staying out, it had been a while since they arrived in bright city, or well what is now called pale city, they made it to the main lands indeed but couldn't find any boats there, none that worked anyway, Owen also had taken her walkie talkie away, after he had realized that someone else was talking to her, she wasn't aware at that time that it was the reaper, using a human vessel as a means to trick her to make it easier for the eyes to get her to go to the hunter's forest sooner, during the time that they were in the mainlands, She and owen had met someone while Owen and Daryl went out to look for a boat, it was a girl like the one from the couple they picked up on the train, those two were a married couple, one was named Eddie, who got his leg banged up after messing it up while escaping a horde of lost souls after derailing a tanker that was blocking the train's path._  
  
 _The woman with Eddie was named Sasha, and she was nice. almost reminded her of how nice and caring Veronica was, but anyhow, the girl they met that attacked both daryl and owen called herself Cass, she was a tough one, and was also apparently one of the only humans left from what is called pale city, it was blocked off from the main-lands by the people there thinking that they were the ones to survive, until one accident later and it was nothing left but a viewer hive, it is also where the signal tower was too, but thankfully they didn't have to go that far, mainly going to the old orphanage before it was filled with kids to look for supplies and such for Eddie's leg with the help of two other survivors that originally came from there, a nice kind woman calling herself Rose, and an old man calling himself Ken._  
  
 _Travis also nearly fell when they were on their way out, but owen got him out of there, they'd lost Cass and Rose though, Cass because she had to leave due to the boat plan not working in her favor, and rose.. well because she was caught and killed by the viewers, being added as more energy to the signal tower. now here she was, waiting for moment that owen decided that they should look for her adopted family, she perked up a bit, glancing over when she hears him and Ken talking, not hearing that much of the conversation but apparently it started with him giving ken sympathy over Rose's death, before she tilted her head, raising her eyebrows a bit when she heard him ask a question to owen and offered something that seemed to really set Owen off, but she didn't hear that much yelling, or well at first. "im gonna pretend you didn't say any of this, and give you the chance to walk away. which you oughta do, right now." was all she heard at first "i know you think you're doing what's best for her, and if you were her real father, we wouldn't be having this conversation, but your not, and staying with you is not what's best for her. if no one else around here will tell you that, then i will." was all that she heard, blinking slightly as she was confused, she knew Owen did some odd things but he was her protector, her friend, he was the closest thing she ever had to a actual father when the outbreak started, she didn't know why ken would want to tell him that..._  
  
 _a few seconds or so later, she flinched at the sound of something being slammed into the wall, and with owen saying this to ken apparently "that's little girl's in my care. we've been through more together than you can imagine. Anyone who tries to get between me and her, anyone! is gonna wind up DEAD! you hear me?!" after that she heard nothing for a bit, shaking slightly before she hears the sounds of someone walking down the stairs, perhaps ken because she glanced on over to look at Owen who came in "hey there sweet-pea.." he said, acting like nothing happened as she stared on over to the window "daryl's fixing up the boat." she said, as owen nodded "yeah, that's true. hopefully he'll get it running soon, and we'll all be out of here.." he blinks, looking at her as he raised a eyebrow "six? what's wrong honey?" he asked, as she frowned, rubbing her arm "it's just... what about my parents...? and my sister... are we gonna find them..?" she asked, tilting her head as owen frowned, not replying to her as she blinked "o...owen...? w...we are gonna find them.. r...right...?" she asked, as she grew pale when he told her "there's.... not gonna be enough time tomorrow sweet-pea.... they're... gone i... heard the last message your sister said on the phone machine.... and by now... they're gone.... im sorry sweetpea..." he said, as she frowned slightly, trembling a bit before she started sniffling. with Owen frowning and trying to shush her "im so sorry sweet-pea. i know it isn't what you want to hear but it is...." he said, as he tried to comfort her, before she laid down, turning away from him as she sniffled and quietly sobbed, with Owen frowning and rubbing his forehead, sighing before he went on over to the couch. and sitting down onto it, watching her before he eventually fell asleep._  
  
\---  
  
She hadn't thought about that memory in a while, because that was what she was feeling now as she stood on a large metal rod overlooking the area she was in, having to have climbed into a higher area through the chain, and seeing a huge horde of guests lumbering their way on in, frowning softly as she grips on her arms a bit, watching the horde walking more, before she shakes her head, frowning slightly before she walks on off, making her way through the pipes and such until she was able to get out of the vents and such, arriving on clean wood, she'd been walking on metal tiles and stone floors for far too much without any shoes so this was a nice change of pace for her, rubbing her arm slightly as she breathed in and out.  
  
She takes in her surroundings after a bit more walking, and passing by above where below she saw the guests more closely, some of them having odd masks on their faces and such, or was it makeup?? she didn't know, she started climbing up to the roof of the area the guests were going into, and she glanced over and froze upon seeing a shadow of a lady standing there, seemly watching the guests lumber into the building, it was the lady. some of the guests didn't even bother to look at her as they lumbered inside, some of them shook up slightly, it seemed that no matter who it was, everyone in the maw feared the lady, and for good reason too. Six shivered slightly, before she shakes her head "it's not her anymore... it's just another monster..." she told herself, frowning a bit before she kept on going, climbing into the building, and jumping across chandliers above the guests to avoid being seen by them, before going forward, frowning slightly as she keeps walking.  
  
Getting into a opened room, she could hear most of them eating, clutching her stomach a bit as she grunted slightly, shaking her head as she slowly walked forward, having to be real careful, slowly squeezing through a small gap in a door, she knocked over a bottle, freezing before she noticed that one of the guests heard it, quickly running out of the way as the table was swung over, hitting against the door as she ran from the guests, passing by more of them as it was a wonder how most of them didn't see her as she climbed into another room, sliding into a table as she glanced over, seeing the guest trying to climb over to get to her, gurgling and groaning in annoyance as she sighed in relief, before she huffed, noticing a hole above a guest eating as she quickly makes her way to the table, and with ease, went over the feasting guest and jumped through the hole, going to another area of the supposed diner she was in.  
  
Going to the floor, she glanced over and saw more guests eating, she quickly snuck pass all of them in the shadows, grunting a bit as she keeps moving forward, before realizing that she has to run across the table to proceed forward after arriving in a little safe zone for one of those nomes, so backtracking back, she carefully climbed onto the table quickly, and started booking it the moment the guests attempted to snatch at her, panting as she keeps running and running as they knocked over bottles attempting to reach out to her, she dodged most of them, panting slightly before she climbed onto a box, and jumped across, landing onto a entrance to the next floor above as she crawled into the area, huffing softly and panting a bit as she shakes her head, calming down as she glared a bit at the disgusting guests, growling "yeah fuck you too!" she said, giving them the finger as she grunted, before walking off, grumbling.  
  
\---  
  
After running again from more guests as she had to make her way through another feasting area, having to yelp slightly as she saw more of them coming over, she ran to a clearing and jumped forward, latching onto a light as it swung her to the other side, hopping off of it as she panted more, rubbing her head slightly with a grunt as she looked around "those things cant jump right...?" she huffed softly, before rubbing her forehead as she glanced outwards and froze, seeing even more and more guests as she twitches her eyes that were covered slightly by her hair "fucking.... mother.....URGH" she grunted, rubbing her forehead, before taking in a deep breathe and the chase started once again.  
  
first she had to lure a guest back to make it stuck so she'd had one less of them to deal with as she hopped onto it's back, grunting before she kept on running once again, before she yelped as she sees it turning itself around, she keeps on running more and more, before sliding into a grate, being saved once more by the power of her small size. arriving in a hallway of sorts as she panted slightly, before she twitched, hearing the sounds of a elevator going up as she quickly started running and running, quickly hiding into a quiet place which was a bathroom after she heard it call out with a angered noise as she glanced out, freezing upon seeing that it was one of the chefs, cursing under her breath "thought i was done with those things..." she said, watching it look around for her in the bathroom, growling slightly.  
  
eventually it went away, and she sighed in relief before quietly getting out of there, seeing the door closed behind it as it seemed to be in a hurry, for what she did not know and she didn't care, as long as it wasn't going for her. picking up a bucket as she glanced to a mirror, wondering something before she throws it, and grinned upon seeing that behind the mirror when she shattered it, was another room, smirking a bit as she keeps walking, climbing onto something and having to listen to the sounds of the chef shopping up something as she hears the familiar sounds of the guest in the room the chef was in, covering her mouth a bit "jesus.... ugh" she shakes her head a bit, huffing quietly as she looked around, before walking on forward, eventually getting off of the pipe and rushing to the elevator "it's mine now fatman!" she said loud enough to get the chef's attention as it scrambled, before she sees the table flung itself as it gets slammed to the ground, six laughing slightly as the chef makes a angered groan as she pressed the elevator, sighing in relief as it lead her up higher, sighing softly as she rubs her forehead.  
  
making her way out of the elevator as she hummed lightly, smiling a bit before she started to make her way across the hallway, humming softly as long as she didn't get spotted by the guests, she'll be fine- and of course she had to jinx herself as she sees the doors opening, glancing over and seeing one of the guests in the mask staring at her as she blinked, frowning "...oh you gotta be shitting me...." she muttered, before she takes off running as the guest snarled, crawling after her as she ran further and further, yelping as more guests started to join in on the chase, seeing what looked like all of them piled onto eachother as she ran to another room, barely catching a old picture of her and the lady before she was running down the stairs, hearing the guests crashing through as she keeps running more and more, as objects starting falling down in front and behind her as she managed to evade them, running more and more as she ran onto a table, running pass more of them before she swung onto a lantern, landing on the other side as she turned around, watching with joy as one of the guests fell down with a loud roar, falling and falling until she hears a loud thud, as she panted slightly, grinning at seeing the guests trying to grab at her as she stuck her tongue out "sorry boys! but i aint on the menu damn it!" she said, before running on off, grinning slightly "well that was easy..." she said to herself, walking further away as she could barely hear the noises, she thought she was home free...before her problems returned to her once again.  
  
\---  
  
 _She tried calling owen several times after sneaking out of the house in order to find the person that was telling her that they had her family, but it was all a trap, in reality the person who were convincing her to meet them was in reality the reaper using a human vessel, the reason why was because whenever it got heavily damaged it looked for a new host or vessel to inhabit before it recovers fully, telling her that when the bombs finally dropped near the pale city that it was heavily damaged from it, the mainland was hit the less but pale city was hit the worst like everywhere else in the world._  
  
 _it told her that it was going to take her in, and she knew what that meant, there must of been hundreds, if not billions of souls trapped inside the reaper, it told her that it was searching for a perfect soul, a pure soul that hasn't been tainted by the outbreak, it's original soul was lost when the eyes invaded, it now searches for a perfect soul, but it's never enough, even with all the souls it has inside of it, it always needed another one, that is why the reaper is feared more than the lady, cause it's powers far surpassed her own similar powers. she had managed to tell owen hints and phrases of where she was before she would get the connection cut away by the reaper. and for a while she just sat there in the room, she heard sounds of walking, before she perked up at hearing voices, a familiar one at that, as she attempted to call out to anyone_  
  
 _"w-who's out there?! l-let me out!" she shouted out, but no reply came, and she froze as she hears the reaper mimicking the voice of the vessel it was using "quiet please. sweetie!!" it said, before it started talking to whoever it was that was in the room, eventually she was able to loosen up the door and quietly opened it, shakily glancing over, and perking up in relief when she sees owen was here, seemly talking to the reaper, or rather the vessel of it, or more or less listening to it's words as he silently glanced over, before giving a silent nod when the reaper glanced down to a bag, seemly talking to someone as owen silently motioned her to get the cleaver, she noticed how much blood he was covered in, and how horrible he looked, and was he missing a arm...? She shakes her head slightly, and went over and quietly picked up the cleaver, slowly and carefully walking over as the reaper kept talking with the human vessel act, before it lets out a snarl as she slammed the cleaver into the shoulder._  
  
 _a fight broke out after that, she jumped away when owen tackled the disguised reaper to the ground, trying to shove him away as he growled, the two making grunts and such before he kicked the reaper away, the disguised human crashing to the table, while the gun it was aiming at him with over to the closet, it tried to go to the gun as owen staggers up, before yelling out as he gets shot in the ribs, hearing six letting out a "NO!" he grunts, leaning on the counter as he panting, glancing up and seeing the man walking towards him with the gun trained onto him, before owen growled, and nearly forced himself to ram into the man, slamming him against the closest so hard that the doors broke, the gun sliding away as he started to strangle the person after headbutting it in the head and strangling him with his arm, glaring with hate in his eyes._  
  
 _Before the disguised reaper kicked him away, and leaped onto him, nearly strangling him also as owen struggled, losing his strength as he coughed, struggling to get out of the grip "yOu son Of A bITch, jUsT GO aWaY... DdiE!" it said, before a gunshot ran through it's skull and out the eye, blood soaking out of it as as it fell with a thud, owen panting slightly before he shoved it away to the counter, a empty bottle falling down and shattering onto the bleeding head of the now discarded human vessel. Owen panted slightly, glancing over to see that Six was the one that shot him, shaking slightly as he gets up weakly, staring at her as she trembled, dropping the gun "i.... i.... im..." she struggled at what to say, before shivering and trembling as Owen hugged her "it's okay,,, it's okay..." he said, with the other sobbing softly as she trembled slightly, looking at him up and down "y...you look horrible...." she said, with the other nodding "i know.." he said as she trembled further "and you smell...." she said, with the other nodding again "i had to get through a lot of them to get here.....” he stated, as six looked to his missing arm “and... and your missing a arm..” she said, with Owen frowning a bit as he coughed “we... we gotta get out of here now sweet-pea... we don't have much time... okay...?" he stated, with the other shivering and trembling. before nodding slightly, as she hugged him again, shivering as she sniffled softly, with owen gently but weakly patting her head "it's okay.... im here now."_  
  
\---  
  
this was the worst hunger attack she had in a while, clutching her stomach at both the distant memory, and her problem, coughing and trembling slightly, weakly walking further and further as she coughed more and more, the lights flickering as she trembled further, clutching her side as she fell to her knees, grunting "w...why didn't i grab some of the d-damn f-food t-there?!" she said, coughing further and further as she weakly gets back up, walking closer and closer as it gave her more pain, trembling and stumbling on into the next room as she clutched her stomach, whimpering before she hears one of the nomes again, she heard a few of them actually, some were hiding, others were nearby, and some flatout ran away, but only one of them stood by and stared at her, she tried to look up at it, before she fell to her knees, coughing and whimpering further, she needed to eat, she had to eat, she couldn't contain herself.  
  
she barely looked up to see that it was holding up a sausage to her, it squealed slightly as it tilted it's head, with the other trembling more and more as she slowly and weakly walked towards it, her eyes being fully blank as she coughed and grunted, seemly wanting to snap out of it, to tell the nome to run but she wasn't in control of her own body, her hunger was the one controlling it this time, her eyes went blanker more and more before she seemly shoved the sausage out of the way, and grabbed onto the nome, and chomped down onto it with her sharp teeth, the nome cried out. as others that were watching ran away as she pinned the poor creature to the ground, and tore into it, the nome crying out as the lights started flickering again, as that odd shadow variant of six showed up, seemly watching her eat.  
  
Eventually the nome went limp and quiet as she tore enough of it out to where it started bleeding, she barely even noticed that a odd cuff was seen on it's leg as she ate chunks of it, hunger in her emotion as she keeps eating a small chunk of it's body as the nome's corpse was now stained with blood, and blackened up instead of being white, the shadow variant seemly frowned further at this, before seemly coming closer to her as she keeps eating, the odd sounds of a tv static playing as it glanced over to stare at a picture of the maw, it glanced back over to stare at her eating more and more, as it had a plain look on it's face, before it seemly vanished all together when placing a hand onto six's shoulder.  
  
Six seemly froze upon regaining control of her body once more, her eyes having the sparkle coming back to her, freezing up as she trembled slightly, glancing to her hands, seeing blood on it as images and such flashed through her mind, her and mono, the thin man and her being captured by him, being turned into a monster, and seeing her shadow self, visions flashing back to her first meeting with mono, seeing that upset boy alone on a tree-branch, filled with so much guilt and pity behind their eyes in the paper like mask, until her mind flashed to that awful ending, where she dropped mono all the way down to the abyss, only this time it was a mixture of emotion, one side of her was completely blank, while the other side was having a guilt filled expression, with tears streaming down both of them, she gasped heavily, dropping the chunk, as she trembled slightly, looking at her hands as her eyes started dripping tears, shaking up as she covered her face, seemly sobbing slightly. what had she become? why? why does she have to suffer the most, why does she have to keep losing everyone? why does everyone keep dying around her? she sobbed more and more, curling up onto the ground as she trembled further, why couldn't she be with people, why is it that everytime she's around them, they all end up dead... why.. just why.... why.... **why couldn't she have saved mono?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor six, a shame out of everyone else in the cycle, unlike mono, she's the one that suffers the most physically from it, while he suffers the most mentally from it.


	15. The Lady’s Quarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End is near, In order to face her fears and to get rid of her problems, six attempts to finish what the survivors tried to do before becoming apart of the maw’s curse, destroying the lady. But in doing so, has she sealed her own fate once again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are at the end of the road once more, before you all be wondering what was up with all those little flashbacks stuff, I was mainly having that as a excuse to develop six’s personality and behavior in the au, how she went from a small scared little girl, all the way up to a battle hardened survivor, with some ounce of humanity left in her, in canon she may be the lady, but in this au, she is far from it... after All... she and two others belong elsewhere.

_Owen panted slightly as he and Six finally made it out of the restaurant, that alone took the strength he had left, panting slightly as he and six looked up, and froze upon seeing the huge hordes of walkers and lost souls AND viewers lumbering about, the other panting a bit as he looked a little worst for wear, his skin grey, his eyes baggy, walker and viewer blood staining his entire clothes, his eyes slightly yellowed, it was like he wasn’t himself in a way, not fully. Six was also covered in the same blood, she was shivering slightly as she and Owen carefully walked into the horde “it’s okay sweet pea.... slow and steady... and we’ll be out of here soon...” he said tiredly and quietly as the two kept walking._

_She never was this afraid in her entire life, shaking and trembling as she stuck close to Owen, the two walking as slow as the creatures here were, some of the viewers and such glanced on over to them, as Owen tiredly glanced over, before relaxing a bit as the viewers simply turned around and kept wandering, it seems like the smell was working... that or the viewers’s faces were so messed up that their sense of smell is gone. Either way he motioned six to keep on walking with him, passing by more of them as he kept his breathing steadied, limping slightly as six was trying her best to stay like this, but it was getting difficult, they bumped past another walker as it glanced over to watch them go by, with Owen slowly glancing back, before his shoulders relaxed, seeing the creature turning around and wandering off._

_Six’s heart was beating rapidly, every instinct and part of her body was telling her to run as quickly as possible, but she toughed it out for Owen’s sake, even though she really didn’t like it, she froze upon seeing the huskless body of a lost soul staggering about, making a low groaning noise as it glanced on over to stare at the two, it’s blackened sockets and gaping hole of a mouth having it’s expression being unreadable, if it even had any expressions anymore, six trembled slightly as she was crying on the inside, not wanting to give away their cover as they kept on walking “your... doing great sweetie... just a little while longer...” he said tiredly, had he always sounded this tired and weak? Six didn’t know, and she didn’t like it, what happened in those few hours that they were apart?_

_She and Owen kept walking through the horde, they were almost there, they just had too- suddenly she glanced over, and stopped as she froze in place, with Owen limping as he realized that Six had stopped, raising a eyebrow and weakly glancing on over as his eyes widened a bit, seeing two creatures staring at the wall, before they slowly turned around, matching the appearance of an Asian couple in a way, with the woman wearing a stained and torn Japanese kimono, but much more smaller in size to the lady’s eventual terrifying height, and having the same blank white Milky eyes as the other creatures, but Owen could recognize the two, they were the parents he saw on one of the pictures in six’s house, of her and the two and... her sister. Realizing this, he weakly glanced on over to six, his breathing shallowing as his vision was getting blurry, he swayed slightly, silently groaning “s...six..... d....dONt....” he tried to say, but couldn’t finish the rest as he fell down to the side, his vision darkening._

–––  
  
She didn't know how long she had stayed like this, curled up, staring at the now rotten corpse of the nome as her hair covered her own eyes, but they were stained with tears, she clutched her own stomach, not because she was hungry, but because she was disgusted and guilty about what she just did, shaking slightly as she looked at her hands, they were partly blackened now oddly enough, the same color as that shadow six's hands, in the form of gloves almost, she glanced down to her legs and such, seeing that they were also coated in black, like she was wearing pants in a way, and noticing her shoes, still bare-footed, but with the toenails on it being coated in black too, not like it mattered, she didn't know why her odd shadow like self seemly went back inside her, maybe it was waiting for her to realize what she had been doing all this time, or because it was tired of watching her eat without purpose, and simply had a way to snap her out of it.  
  
Either way, she slowly gets up, rubbing her eyes slightly as she frowned at the nome's corpse, before looking around for a blanket, picking it up and slowly and carefully placing it over the body, sniffling slightly "im... I'm so... so sorry little guy.... you couldn't have known.... I'm so... so sorry..." she said shakily, getting up as she rubs her nose and eyes, before she moved away from the room. climbing onto the wood, and making her way out of the room as she climbed onto a ladder, glancing up to see the lady slowly walking into the elevator, her appearance still hidden and shadowed up as the doors closed up, with six watching and clutching her fists, glaring a bit. you all may be wondering what happened to her mask, well she kinda... lost it during the chase from the guests, no way she needed it now though, this was the final stop. but she had some, unfinished business she needed to end first. this was the lady's fault. her sister had the power to be good. to remain good, but no.  
  
the eyes's infection, the maw, the spell, the inhabitants, her fear of getting old, and her will and obession to forever stay young and beautiful, has made her own once caring and loving sister, a shell of her former self, a monster. she had realized this once she also had used t he elevator to follow her to the quarters, stepping out as she twitched slightly upon hearing the distance humming of the lady, a calm welcoming noise, but to her, it was a disgusting sound, how could she act this calm when she'd been killing all of these people for lord knows how long, how many lives has she spent?... no more... she had figured out that some of the remaining survivors at one point attempted to put a stop to the lady, to destroy her , they had used every mirror in the quarters to damage her, but just when they were two mirrors left, a tall one and a smaller one, the lady somehow overcame the survivors, easily killing them, but leaving her in a very weakened state to this day. as for how she knew that? welp- she found old writings in her travels here and there between her adventures, and from what some of the remaining humans in the maw told her that something bad really happened that caused the lady to change, and welp. she knew now why it was like that.  
  
She remembered how the layout was like the back of her head, hearing the humming getting louder slightly as she stared at a locked door, clenching her fists slightly as she looked up onto some stairs, taking a moment to breathe for a moment, going up the stairs as she stared at the various pictures around here, along with hearing the humming more and more, and usual music chanting sounds that play in various historic Japanese like buildings, she gripped her arm as she stared at one picture that was covered up, shaking her head slightly before she moved on forward, glancing back to look at a picture showing five ladies, with the one in the middle obviously being Veronica, or what was once Veronica really. she slowly made her way into the room, hearing the humming more clearly now as she glared slightly at seeing the lady softly humming, and brushing her hair, seemly unaware of six at all. but she was aware of the lady, so very much aware.  
  
\---  
  
She slowly made her way past her, she half expected to be using the ceiling as cover but she chose not too, the humming and such was so loud that it was like she couldn't even hear her, and the mirror she was looking at was pretty shattered up, her heartbeat rising as she snuck by, all the while making sure her gaze wasn't fixed onto her's. she makes it to the bedroom, looking at more pictures and such, glancing upwards as she stared at a vase with an eye on it, twitching slightly as she realized what she's gonna have to do. "...hate my life." she said quietly, before carefully climbing onto the dresser, and with a sigh, pushed the vase to the ground as she winched a bit as it shatters, making a loud noise as she quickly hid under the bed when she heard the lady let out a gasp almost.  
  
it was pure instinct though for her to be hiding underneath the bed, shaking slightly as she takes a breather, waiting for a bit just in case the lady did make her way in here, when she didn't she slowly climbed out from under the bed, shivering slightly before she takes a breather, going on over and grabbing the key, and making her way out of the bedroom, and yep she was right internally, the lady had indeed heard her since she was no longer at the mirror, she hid underneath the table for a moment, just to make sure, but all she heard was silence, just pure simple silence. Does she even know her own sister is here?? or was it just the lady simply waiting for her to come out of hiding? just when she least expects it and lowers her guard. but she was smart, and cunning. she wasn't like the others. gripping on the key further as she takes another breath "just a little while longer... we'll be out of here soon..." she said quietly to herself, repeating those words that Owen told her long ago.  
  
she carefully makes her way out of the table, and then out of the room all together, going down the stairs, and putting the lock into the door as she makes it to another room that was filled to the brim with broken mirrors and such, and dark. she crouched down and slowly started sneaking about, before she froze and yelped as the door slammed shut, with a shadow nyooming past her as all the hairs on her stood up, shaking slightly as she keeps walking, shivering as she stared at the various mannequins that might jump out and scare her to death, shaking slightly as she shook her head, no. this was how she gets you, fear. she waits until your utterly afraid and always alerted. she wasn't going to be like the others, even if she was scared for her own life, she wouldn't show fear. not again... not ever again.  
  
Six mentally took another deep breath as she made her way forward, looking around as she was shaking slightly, before she started running the moment she could and also because a few seconds later she heard the sounds of the lady making a odd noise, she didn't dare look behind her as she keeps on running and running, panting slightly, she wanted to call out to her, to try to get her to stop but no. she knew it wouldn't work. She slid through a grate right at the last second, arriving in what seemed like a library of sorts as she catches her breath, shaking slightly as she grunted a bit, making her way around the corner, saving her breath and running for later as she went up the stairs, crouching on down and looking into another room, noticing it was very wide and such but having loads of other mannequins around the area, twitching slightly before she quickly rushed to the desk, hiding underneath it as she shook herself slightly, whimpering a bit before she rushed over to the end of the hall, freezing slightly as she looks around more and more. before she tore off a board, and rushed in, staggering a bit before she glanced up and yelped, seeing a piece of board falling right onto her head, her vision going dark.  
  
\---  
  
 _Owen struggled to look, his vision blurring in and out as he could feel someone shaking him, and that voice... "o..Owen! Wake up! p-please don't be dead! p-please no!" She said, as the other finally woke up, groaning as he coughed further “o-Owen! I-I was so scared! I- i thought..you left me.. I.... I..” she hiccuped a bit, tears streaming down her eyes a bit “I saw my parents...” she said, shaking slightly as Owen stared weakly at her, before gently hugging her “come here sweetpea...” he said, comforting her as she sniffled “t-they’re dead... they really are....” she said, trembling as Owen breathed slightly, looking up “they... they didn't get to you.. right?” He asked, with six shaking her head “n...no.. we got away..”_

 _she stated, with Owen weakly getting up a bit “six... listen we.. we gotta get out of here as fast as we can..” he stated, with six freaking out “w-we cAnt! T-there’s thousands of them outside!!” She said, trembling as Owen coughed slightly “we have too... I’ll protect you... we’ll push-” he gets cut off when she said “no no that’s crazy! We’re safe here! I locked us in!” She said, with Owen’s eyes widening slightly “...get that door open.” He said, with six shaking her head “I-I cAnt!” She said, as Owen yelled a bit “DO IT!” He said, coughing a bit as six frowned slightly, getting up and going to the closed gate as Owen forced himself up, panting slightly “it was a little open when I found it, I closed it to keep us safe.” she claimed, with Owen going to he knees and grabbing onto the latch a bit "pull on three... one.. two.. three!"_  
  
 _The two struggled to attempt to open up the door, with Owen using whatever strength he had left, try as all as they might, they couldn't open the door, Owen coughed slightly, panting slightly as six turned to look at him "s-see?!" she stated, with Owen weakly glancing over as he breathed tiredly "s..six.. honey..." he said, looking at his missing arm, before staring at her with a frown "m..my arm is gone because I cut it off..." he stated, with Six's expression changing as she froze "w...why would you do that..?" she asked, shaking as her whole world seemly fell apart when he told her "because I was bitten Six... I got attacked by s..something that looked like a viewer and lost soul and a walker all in one.... i..." he glanced up to her, seeing her eyes widening "p...please no... no.. t-that's not true!" she said, as Owen frowned "y..yes... it is.." he said, glancing over to her as she trembled slightly, the other frowning as he coughed a bit "I'm.. I'm so sorry sweet-pea.. but there's no time to be upset..." he stated, with Six sniffling, and nodding "o...okay... i...I'll try not to cry.."_  
  
 _He weakly gets on back up, panting slightly as he looked around his surroundings, noticing another room and a door that could possibly lead to a exit "I think there might be a way out over there." six claimed, with Owen nodding a bit "good.. good girl.. let's go.. I might be a little slow.." he said, starting to walk, before he almost fell down, using the counter with his good arm as he grunted, as six came over to his side "I'll help you!" she said, as she started helping him walk as he limped and dragged himself forward, panting slightly as he nearly fell with six catching him a bit "I-i got you! y-you can l-lean on me if you have to.." she said, with Owen coughing a bit "I'm okay... I'm okay.." he stated, with six breathing quickly "I-i t-thought I was helping b-by bringing you in here..." she stated, with Owen coughing a bit as he glanced over to her._  
  
\---  
  
 _"your still learning sweetie... never let yourself get trapped.. and you couldn't have known.. I should of told you..." he admitted, coughing a bit as six trembled a bit "o...okay... i..it was scary at the hotel." she said, with Owen weakly nodding his head "y...yeah..." he said, as six urged him to keep on going "w-we're almost there!" she claimed, with the other weakly pushing forward before he had to go over to the wall, slumping down onto his back as he panted slightly, with six rushing over "g-get up o-owen! t-the door's r-right here!" she pleaded, with Owen weakly looking forward, before grunting as he attempts to get back up, struggling as he starts lifting his back, before he fell on down with a thud, coughing slightly "i...I cant" he stated, with Six trembling "y...you have too...!" she begged, with Owen's voice getting more weaker "s..six.. I cant move.. this is it for me here." he claimed, with six trembling as she pleaded again_  
  
 _"p-please-please try to get up!!" she begged, trembling as Owen panted slightly, before he tried to get up, lifting more and more, before he slumped back down against the wall, panting slightly "i...I cant... y...you don't have much time.. you gotta do something.. fast.." he said, with six trying to control her breathing "l...like w...what...?" she asked, as Owen frowned, he didn't want to say what he knew what had to be done, but he shook that thought out, the most important thing is looking for a way out "y..you need to get out of here as soon as you can." he stated, with six trembling more "I-i cant leave you!" she stated, with the other coughing a bit "j..just work on getting out, okay..?" he stated, with six trembling before she gives a silent nod, and stands up, shaking slightly "we'll figure it all out.. don't worry.." he said, giving her a sad smile._  
  
 _He looked around with what little he had, trying to conserve his energy as he glanced over to the door, taking a deep breath "just..start by getting that door open.." he said, with Six going over and attempting to get it open, with the other shivering "i...it's locked..." she claimed, with Owen panting slightly "i...it's no big deal... it's just a glass window.." he stated, as six attempts to punch it, only to not work as she clutched her hand a bit "ow!" she said, with Owen coughing a bit "n..not with your hand..." he stated, belong looking around further, and noticing a baseball bat over there, thinking "t..there's a baseball bat under the counter six.. you can use that.." he stated, with the other going over and getting the bat, and coming back._  
  
 _Owen glanced to the door with the window, and back at her "u..use the bat to shatter that window.. so you can reach inn okay?" he asked, with the other nodding shakily "o-okay..." she said, slowly going on over, and hitting the door's window as the glass shatters, as the sounds of a trapped lost soul could be heard in there, growling and hissing as it was locked tight in it's chair as she shivered a bit from the noises "d..don't be afraid of him honey... your smart... he isn't... your smarter then all of them" he claimed, before he saw her pulling the stool with wheels over to the door, and leaning in, unlocking the door and pushing it open as she noticed it was really trapped "h..he's trapped.." she claimed, with the other growling slightly and trying to get at her._  
  
\---  
  
 _Owen nodded in approval of what she said "this'll be easy then.. he's got keys.. probably to that door, and everything you need..." he claimed, since the lost soul trapped there looked like what was once a police officer, now a husk of it's former self due to the reaper absorbing it's soul, he glanced down to see handcuffs, thinking "there are handcuffs on the ground... get them" he asked of her, with the other looking back "o...okay Owen.." she said, slowly going over and grabbing the handcuffs, Owen weakly glancing over to look at the his freed arm "p..put the handcuffs on me.. attach me to this..." he said, motioning to the heater as she froze a bit "w...what.. w..why...?" she asked, as Owen glanced back up to her "no matter what happens.. your safe then..." he claimed, with the other shivering "i... I don't know..."_  
  
 _Owen coughed slightly, frowning "j...just do it sweetie..." he said, as she sniffled, kneeling down and starting to put the cuff on him "make sure they're tight..." he said as six trembled a bit "i.. I don't wanna do this..." she said, with Owen coughing further "you have too... it'll keep you safe.." he claimed, as he was sure he was cuffed now, making sure it was tight as he takes a breath, nodding at six for a moment "you only have to deal with him now.." he claimed, with the other glancing over at the lost soul, who was desperately attempting to get at them "he's trapped over there... if you're careful.. you can get what you need from him.." he stated, with six taking shaky breaths, glancing back to him "the keys... and the gun..." she said, with Owen nodding "yeah.. the keys and the gun... just don't be afraid..if anything gets dangerous.. your faster than he is..." he claimed, with Six glancing back to the trapped creature, looking back at him for a moment "w...what s...should I get first...?"_  
  
 _she asked him, as Owen coughed slightly, looking at the trapped being, pondering slightly. "...get the gun six... always the gun.." he claimed, coughing "and then... the keys.. so... try to get both... okay...?" he asked her, with the other nodding as she slowly went over, reaching out as she hesitated for a moment, before she shrieks as the lost soul escaped with a crack, falling onto it's back as it attempted to grab onto six, with the other staring at Owen in shock "get him.. GET HIM!" he said, with six trying to crawl away, screaming a bit, he glanced to the baseball bat "g..grab it.. GRAB IT!" he shouted, coughing slightly as six screamed further, trying to get away from the lost soul as Owen quickly noticed a small pillar with a vase on it, freezing up "w-watch out!!" he shouted, with six glancing up and quickly crawling away, the vase falling and hitting Owen on the head as he blacked out._  
  
\---  
  
Six coughed slightly as she wakes back up quickly, panting slightly as she looks around, wondering why of all places would she get knocked out by a freaking board... then again she had spent the entire week... month? here running for her life and basically hiding and tiring herself out on a daily basic so, she shouldn't be that surprised, rubbing her head as she glanced over, seeing the mirror, the only intact mirror left as she grunts, going over to it and climbing up, picking it up as she frowned, not dwelling on the memory she just had, she had a mission to do, plus she had to get through the lady to get out of here anyway.. might as well attempt to kill two birds with one stone...  
  
The lights suddenly came off from the room she came from, as she glanced over to there, gripping on the mirror as she glared a bit, taking a deep breath "here we go...." she said quietly, before she jumps down, and makes her way back into the room, it was all dark and such, for a small moment, glancing over and staring at the lady who was in the center of the room, before she glanced over, and seemly vanished, that odd chanting noise was heard once more, she looked around, waiting for a sign before noticing a patch of light opening up nearby as she quickly ran to it, standing in the center as she looked around "come on... where are you...." she said quietly, looking around before she twitched, sensing the lady nearby before she turned behind her and aimed the mirror as a bunch of odd particles came out of it as she came out of the darkness, attempting to reach out to her, before a bright flash occurred, causing the other to shriek and stumble back, before teleporting into the darkness.  
  
"h-ha! how's that you crazy witch!!!" she shouted, grinning a bit as she panted slightly, she was rubbing off on mono's usual comments against the various creatures that they came across, she didn't know why though but she supposed it was for a bit of closure, looking around for the next patch of light before she perked up, grinning slightly as she saw it, going on over to it and waiting once more, shivering slightly before she turned around, aiming the mirror as the same thing occurred, a bright flash, and the lady letting out a distorted scream, covering her face before vanishing back into the shadows, it went on like this for quite some time, she would find a patch of light to go into, and would wait for the lady to reveal herself, and try to repel and weaken her, sometimes it worked, other times she had to keep running when she failed.  
  
At one point, she started circling six slightly, trying to get her to lose her guard to miss and such, it wouldn't work on her of course, cause she sensed the other behind her and turned around, aiming the mirror as the same thing occurred, the lady letting out a shriek as she backed up into the darkness "this is what you get Veronica!! this is what happens when you lose yourself! how does it feel huh?! you didn't save mom and dad! I tried to save you! but you wouldn't listen! you didn't WANT to be saved!" she shouted, before she stumbled back when the lady letted out a angered snarl, she frowned, glaring "oh I'm sorry! did I struck a nerve? I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU STILL HAD A HEART!"  
  
she said, grunting as she went on over to hopefully the final light, looking around and waiting for her as the same thing happened, but this time the light didn't go away, that must of been a sign, watching her former sister circling her left and right as she grips onto the mirror, glaring "come on..." she said quietly, before the lady tried once again to come up behind her at a much more quicker pace but, six was faster. Quickly running away and turning the mirror over as a large bright light occurred, with the sounds of the mirror breaking and the lady letting out a shriek as a big burst of energy went off, causing six to fall down and temporary black out once again as the lights went dark, the lady falling away farther from her as black smoke rose from her body.  
  
\---  
  
 _Owen groaned softly as he weakly opened his eyes again, looking around before he froze at realizing the threat, the Lost soul attempting to get six as he used his foot to kick over the baseball bat for her to use, she grabbed it and slammed it right onto the lost soul's head as it shrieked, with six getting up and continuing to bash it's head in with the baseball bat, it kept trying to get up but always falling down when she keeps smashing it's head in, before eventually it stopped moving all together, no blood was coming out of their body but, a black dust did come out of the wound, wit the sockets dimming all the way down as it's body ceased to function, seemly cracking apart as odd dust came out of it, either way it was dead._  
  
 _Six panted slightly as she rubbed her forehead, dropping the baseball bat "i... I did it... i... I got him..." she said to Owen, as the other smiled weakly, before all he could say to her was "c...come here..." he coughed slightly, before glancing to his cuffed arm "yeah.. but you did this... smart.." why was he saying it like he just noticed it? was that due to the infection messing up his brain and memory? most likely... she went over to where the gun was, and picked it up, along with the keys as she turned around to stare at him, kneeling down as he forced himself to look at her, smiling sadly "h..hey.." he said to her, trying to figure out what to say next, blinking tiredly as six listened to what he had to say "your strong Six... you... you can do anything.." he claimed, with six trembling a bit and trying to protest it._  
  
 _"but.. but I'm so... little..." she claimed, with Owen shaking his head slightly "doesn't mean nothing.. you're going to see bad stuff.. but it's okay..." he claimed, staring at her as she trembled a bit "m...my parents...it's.. it's so horrible..." she said, with Owen coughing further "i... I cant imagine sweet-pea..." he said, frowning as six had tears streaming down her eyes, more than usual "a..and now y..you? PLEASE.... please don't be one of them... please don't become a monster..." she pleaded, with Owen coughing further "there's only one thing you can do... a...and you know that..." he said, with the other shaking as she trembled "i... I don't know if I can.." she said, with Owen frowning as he thought about the final choice for her to make for a while, before he frowned, staring straight at her._

_”you have to shoot me honey...” he said, with Six freezing up as she was even more pale “o..Owen... n...no..” she pleaded, or tried to as tears streamed down her eyes as Owen coughed slightly, panting a bit “it’s okay.... it’s okay... it’s for your safety six... if you don’t get out in time..” he said, as the other trembled more, sniffling “b-but I can wait until then..!” She tried to say to him, not wanting to leave and kill him as he coughed “no honey... you can’t.. you can’t risk it..” he stated, with six trembling as she tried to make a excuse to him, to tell him that he wasn’t going to turn “it-it’s like with Rick I-isnt it..? I know you did it t-to protect me..” she said, with Owen nodding softly with a tired smile_

_–––_

_“yes, you just have to do it... it’ll be okay...” Owen said, trying to assure her that everything’s gonna be okay.. you don’t want to see me like one of them...” he claimed, coughing slightly as six shakily replied “o..okay Owen.. I’ll.. I’ll do it.. I... I can...” she said, with Owen frowning softly “find Eddie and Sasha.. they’re looking for a boat.... find them...” he said, with the other nodding “they’ll... take good care of you... and also don’t trust anyone... people aren’t the same anymore... you don’t know if they’re good or bad...” he claimed, as Six nodded again, sniffling_

_”okay Owen.. I... I understand..” she said, with the other nodding, frowning when he saw her trying to not cry “and six... keep that hair short...” he said, with the other nodding “I- I will.. I’ll cut it myself!” She said, with Owen coughing “and always keep moving... there’s no safe place... not for long... okay..?” He said, with the other nodding again “y...yeah... always keep moving.. g...got it...” she said, with Owen coughing “and stay away from cities...” he said, coughing a bit “they’re not worth the risk... not safe anymore..” he said, with six nodding “d....definitely..” she said, with Owen trying to slow his breathing, trying to stay awake but, he knew his time was coming to a end._

_”and also....” he struggled to finish that last part, nearly closing his eyes as his head lowered “w-what? W-what is it?!” She said, with the other coughing “no.. don’t worry... alright..” he said, coughing, trying to think of what his final words would be, he had spent so much time with this girl, he lost her two times, one when they got SEPERATED when she got taken to the nest, and the second.. well, we all know how that went. And now here they were, about to depart for the last time, with Owen struggling to find the right words, a small tear dripping down his eye “I’ll miss you.”_

_he stated, with six sniffling as she nodded “m...me too..” she said, with Owen coughing further, before he couldn’t even have the strength to do that either, leaning back down as his now yellowed out eyes stared at her, weakly smiling as she aimed the gun at him, shaking slightly as he smiled, giving her a tired nod “don’t be afraid.... you’ll be okay...” he managed to say, before he took one final breath, closing his eyes as he waited, with six struggling as she closed her eyes, aiming the gun, and shooting him, a shot ringing out as it echoed..._

–––

The girl woke up as she coughed, panting slightly as she looks around in the room, where... where was she?! The lady— she perked up, glancing on over to seeing the lady not too far ahead, laying on the ground, and struggling to get up, six grinned, and laughed, coughing a bit “h-haha!! How do you like that?!” She said, coughing slightly as she gets up, staggering “I finally brought you down..! This place won’t be cursed anymo-“ she suddenly coughed and shrieked, falling down to her knees as she clutched her stomach, her size and such growing as the familiar spots of shadow like dots appeared around her coat, the spots turning into stripes as she felt her hands forming into claws, coughing as she winched

”n...no... no.. please.. not now...” she said quietly, coughing further, her hunger was causing another one of those episodic transformations to her monster side, she always kept it contained, but barely. She coughed further as her size seemly grew more, becoming bigger than the cage she was originally kept in, nearly to the size of a table in the kitchen where the chef’s works. Struggling to hold it in as she looked over, her eyes glowing as her teeth sharpened, black streaks of tears streaming down her eyes as she growled, coughing as she slowly started limping over to the lady, clutching her stomach every now and then.

”you... you did this to me... you could of... saved me... you could of found me... but no.. you...” she coughed, standing up more “you stayed here... like a coward... because you were afraid... afraid of becoming like them... when your already are... your a monster... and I’m..” she coughed further, coming closer and closer as the lady tried to get up, but failed, giving up seemly “and I’m going to make sure.. you... you never hurt anyone.. ever again...” she said, growling as she clutched her stomach further “....goodbye.” She said, getting close enough to the lady, coughing as she knelt down, spines seemly showing on her back, with what seemed like a odd tail forming out of shadows, before she...

She clamped down onto her face, chomping down with her teeth as she forced the other down, the lady thrashing and flailing about as six kept her down, huge amounts of black particles and such, sweeping into her as her powers seemly increased, feasting upon the lady more and more until the mask was torn off, more of the black dust and such were being absorbed into her, the lady kept trying to fight back, before eventually after losing a lot of blood and such, and with bone slightly exposed on her cheek and neck, she fell limp, all the black particles and such curling into her own, her body flickering between her normal self, her shadow self, and her monster like self, before the entire room went dark when she seemly and slowly turned around, a red purple like hue emitting from her eyes.

–––

_Six woke up with a shriek, shaking and trembling slightly as she looks around, panting slightly as she blinked, noticing she was in a old room, trembling and shaking as she looked around, before the door swung open, and she yelps, hiding underneath the covers as she trembled, before she froze upon hearing that soft voice “six??? What’s wrong?” That voice.... it couldn’t be.... she slowly glanced up, her eyes widening slightly as she saw mono standing in the doorway, with the paper bag in his head covering his expression but she could tell that he had a worried look on his face, she shivered slightly as he came over, he still looked the same as she saw him even before she dropped him, the image of his shocked face looking at her left her almost crying again._

_”six.... you okay buddy...?” He asked, going over, before he suddenly yelps as she hugged onto him, nearly crying as he perked up, his eyes widening, hearing her choked sobs as he patted her back “hey... hey it’s fine, it’s just me, okay??” He said, as six still didn’t calm down, trembling “I- i thought you... you were.. d...dead.. I.... I....” she hiccuped further, hugging him tighter as the other perked up “well... I’ll admit that’s reasonable to feel... but I ain’t dead six... see! I’m right here in front of yA... did you have another nightmare?” He asked, as the other gave him a nod, shaking slightly “do you wanna talk about it?” he asked her, before she shook her head, trembling "was it about Owen again..? the guy you told me that taught ya all that stuff?" he asked, with six shivering slightly, wondering how he knew about her late protector, but she nodded anyway, Mono frowned further and wondered_  
  
 _"and your sister...?" he asked, and he got another nod in return, as his expression behind his mask softened, he gently patted her head "aw shucks... I'm sorry you've been having these nightmares pal..." he said, with the other shivering and hiccuping slightly, looking down onto her hands, glancing around "w...where a...are we...?" she asked, with the other perking up lightly "you don't remember? after the tower we found this house by the beach and been waiting here for you to wake up ever since... and well, our little friend too..." he stated, as six blinked, raising her eyebrow, what did he mean by that? who- she coughed further as she clutched her forehead, her memories messing up as she coughed "i....im sorry.. i... must of forgot...." she said, shaking slightly as mono frowned softly "it's fine... I can relate, if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't remember much with the nightmares I have.." he said, as six sniffled, frowning "you do not want to be in my shoes... I'm the worst..." she said, as mono perked up, furrowing his brows behind his mask_  
  
 _"hey now that aint true!" he claimed, frowning a bit "your the nicest and kindest and sweetest person I know, your practically the only one that's ever cared about me in this whole mess of a world!" he said, with six sniffling, rubbing her eyes "b...but mono i... im not a good person i.... im..." images of her feasting upon the nome and the lady and the poor rat flowed through her mind, along with the image of seeing mono's surprised face as he was being dropped down into the abyss, she trembled further, clutching her knees as she took deep shaky breaths, with mono frowning softly "hey... hey it's alright... it's okay.." he says, hugging her tightly "your safe now... no nightmares Are gonna get you while im around..." he said, with the other sniffling and hiccuping, hugging the other back, trying to control her breathing as she frowned further, trembling, was all of what she just had a dream?? did she really not drop mono?? did they really escape from the tower?? why wasn't he like the rest that she ate, it made no sense, and why didn't she feel hungry... or well, less hungry than usual, she shivered, before she perked up as the door slowly opened as a light shined in through it._  
  
\---  
  
The elevator lets out a ding as the shadow eater slowly lumbered out of the elevator, half the size of the janitor nearly, steaming slightly as her face was blank, covered by shadows as her hands and arms were covered with shadows, her entire legs and feet were also coated in it, the chains as well, blood stains were also on her coat, and some on her face and mouth, but she didn't seem to mind, twitching slightly as she saw the huge numbers of guests eating away, she didn't felt afraid though, no she felt calm, collected. and anger. she didn't run either, only walked and walked, the lights shattering above her as she kept on walking more and more, the guests noticing her as slowly one of them attempted to get her but, something seemly were sucked away from them, their shadows and then all of their blood, since they were so big and huge they needed a huge amount of fluids and such to keep on going, but that wasn't all, their souls were also seemly taken.  
  
She was the shadow eater yes. but in devouring the lady she had gained a huge boost to her own powers, and also a new one too, she had the same ability the reaper and lady both have now, she slowly walked more, with the lights shattering, and more of the guests attempted to grab onto her hungrily, before they shrieked as the same thing happened, first their shadows, then their blood and then their souls, her body changing and growing as she keeps moving more and more, and more of the guests fell, some of the chefs tried to go over, but they were also caught in the fray, falling down with a thud as she kept walking more, seemly blank as she keeps moving forward to the exit.  
  
the energy from the moving lights were also swept into her, she noticed that there were two other bodies, one that was charred up like it was burnt, and the other with no arms, their shadows, and blood and then souls were also taken, added into her as she kept walking forward again and again, some of the guests with masks also tried to get her, but fell too, until eventually there were none of them left, all of them must have been taken, she lost count of how many guests tried to stop her but she didn't care. all she cared about, was getting away from here. she belongs elsewhere. the doors slowly went open as she stared upwards, not even a smile showing on her face as the warm light of the sun swept on over to her, twitching slightly as she kept walking more and more, going up the stairs, walking further and further away from the maw until she was outside the entire area, down below. nomes came out of hiding as they watched the shadow eater walking away from the slaughter it had committed, most of them glanced to each other, unsure of what to do really, before the sounds of an TV flickering could be heard echoing throughout the now empty and seemly lifeless maw.  
  
inside one of these screens, showed a room behind a closed looking door, with tons of other screens behind it, and a tall thin looking person sitting there, seemly covered by the darkness, before a song seemly plays out overhead as the screen flickers on and off, showing a clearer picture of the man sitting in the chair, the song was seemly sung by a woman, but every now and then, a odd male voice that seemly sounded like a tv's static could be heard attempting to sing along with the music " _We'll meet again.... don't know where... don't know when... but I know we'll meet again,_ **some sunny day.. just keep smiling through, just like you always do 'till the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away,** _So will you please say hello_. **To the folks that I know, tell them I won't be long, they'll be happy to know that as you saw me go...** _I was singing this song..._ " the screen flickers on and off, showing odd glowing white like eyes appearing on the man's face, as a multitude of other eyes seemly formed around the body, with a main eye showing near the chest " **we'll meet again...** _don't know where..._ **don't know when...** _**but I know we'll meet again.. some sunny day...**_ _just keep smiling through.._ **just like you always do.. till the blue skies drive the dark clouds away..** _so will you please say_ **hello, to the folks that I know.. tell them I won't be long.. they'll be happy to know....** _that as you saw me go.. I was singing this song..._ " the screen flickers more, as more eyes appeared on the tv screens behind the man, with hands reaching out as the being looked up, seemly aware that it was being watched, having a odd smile forming on it's face as it slowly stands on up, putting on it's hat  
  
" _ **we'll mEeT agaIN.... doN't Know WheRe... doN'T kNow WhEn.... bUt I kNoW wE'lL mEeT aGaIn... sOme... SunNy... dAy....**_"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending things off with a bit of foreshadowing maybe? Or something else. :)


End file.
